The town of Sepúlveda stands imposingly on one of the last foothills of the Sistema Central in the province of Segovia. Clinging to the mountain and protected by the winding Duratón and Caslilla rivers, it would seem to be an impregnable square. However, back in the 10th century, during the Reconquest, it changed hands several times between Christians and Arabs. It later grew to become one of the most important towns in the area.
Sepúlveda preserves one of the most important heritages in the province of Segovia and because of this it was declared a Historic-Artistic Site in 1951.
Amongst its riches is the exceptional Church of El Salvador, a 12th-century Romanesque temple of great beauty. But it also stands out for its rich Castilian gastronomy and an abundance of nature just a few steps away. This area of Segovia is closely related both culturally and geographically to the beautiful and rugged Sierra Norte de Madrid.
The Plaza de España is not, as in other parts of Castile, a square and wide space.
Sepúlveda's square is irregular, with a wider part and a narrower part that widens again around the fountain. The houses may be built of modest materials, but their long balconies and earthy tones in contrast to the blue sky make it a unique and picturesque square. At the far end of the square opposite the fountain, the castle and the distinguished clock building on the fortress wall preside over the square from the heights.
The castle seems to have been originally a Roman fortress and later, around the 10th century, it was converted into a Moorish citadel. The castle and the aforementioned walls were part of this fortress. The open balconies on the sides of the tower were added in the 17th century, as were the belfry and the bells a century later.
The Clock Building, attached to the castle, is perhaps the most illustrious civil construction in Sepúlveda. Its two-storey façade has a continuous balcony at the top and above it a large coat of arms of Spain flanked by rampant lions. Above the façade is the clock, which gives the building its name, and above it, if you look closely, you can see the seven keys of the town.
At the top of a hill is the most beautiful building in Sepúlveda. The church of El Salvador, which dates from 1093, is one of the first Romanesque buildings in Castile and served as a model for other churches in the region. More importantly, it preserves much of the purity of Romanesque lines, with no apparent additions.
Particularly noteworthy is its porticoed gallery, which is very common in Romanesque churches in Segovia. The gallery is made up of eight arches and the columns are topped by masterfully carved capitals. The elegant apse also has curious reliefs of animals, plants and human figures under the tiles. In contrast to the perfect semicircle of the apse is the tall, massive, rectangular tower, which is very visible from almost the entire village.
Sepúlveda has preserved four other Romanesque churches of lesser importance, of the 15 that existed in the Middle Ages, but with sufficient value to visit them. The Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de la Peña is perhaps the most important of these, despite the many additions made to it after its construction, which detract from some of its beauty. It stands out, however, for being set in a spectacular location, at the northern end of the town surrounded by a winding meander of the Duratón.
A little further on we find the Mirador de la Virgen de la Peña with exceptional views of the river.
For those interested in ancient art it is not a bad idea to visit the Museo de los Fueros, with an interesting collection of religious art from between the 13th and 18th centuries.
It is also worth passing through the Plaza del Trigo, next to the Plaza de España and then taking the beautiful Calle de los Fueros with buildings on one side and on the other beautiful views of the houses below and the river Caslilla.
But the great charm of Sepúlveda lies in wandering through its narrow streets, discovering its noble houses, its magnificent popular architecture and its picturesque corners. The steep slopes of its streets give the town a personality of its own. And they also toughen the legs of visitors, who can often be overtaken on the climbs by the old local women, who are much more accustomed to such steep terrain.
Sepúlveda is one of the main tourist destinations in the province of Segovia, which is becoming increasingly popular in the Castile and León region. It has managed to carve out a niche for itself in what is known as rural tourism, which is becoming increasingly popular, combining both its spectacular natural and cultural heritage.
Sepúlveda preserves one of the most important heritages in the province of Segovia and because of this it was declared a Historic-Artistic Site in 1951.
Amongst its riches is the exceptional Church of El Salvador, a 12th-century Romanesque temple of great beauty. But it also stands out for its rich Castilian gastronomy and an abundance of nature just a few steps away. This area of Segovia is closely related both culturally and geographically to the beautiful and rugged Sierra Norte de Madrid.
The Plaza de España is not, as in other parts of Castile, a square and wide space.
Sepúlveda's square is irregular, with a wider part and a narrower part that widens again around the fountain. The houses may be built of modest materials, but their long balconies and earthy tones in contrast to the blue sky make it a unique and picturesque square. At the far end of the square opposite the fountain, the castle and the distinguished clock building on the fortress wall preside over the square from the heights.
The castle seems to have been originally a Roman fortress and later, around the 10th century, it was converted into a Moorish citadel. The castle and the aforementioned walls were part of this fortress. The open balconies on the sides of the tower were added in the 17th century, as were the belfry and the bells a century later.
The Clock Building, attached to the castle, is perhaps the most illustrious civil construction in Sepúlveda. Its two-storey façade has a continuous balcony at the top and above it a large coat of arms of Spain flanked by rampant lions. Above the façade is the clock, which gives the building its name, and above it, if you look closely, you can see the seven keys of the town.
At the top of a hill is the most beautiful building in Sepúlveda. The church of El Salvador, which dates from 1093, is one of the first Romanesque buildings in Castile and served as a model for other churches in the region. More importantly, it preserves much of the purity of Romanesque lines, with no apparent additions.
Particularly noteworthy is its porticoed gallery, which is very common in Romanesque churches in Segovia. The gallery is made up of eight arches and the columns are topped by masterfully carved capitals. The elegant apse also has curious reliefs of animals, plants and human figures under the tiles. In contrast to the perfect semicircle of the apse is the tall, massive, rectangular tower, which is very visible from almost the entire village.
Sepúlveda has preserved four other Romanesque churches of lesser importance, of the 15 that existed in the Middle Ages, but with sufficient value to visit them. The Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de la Peña is perhaps the most important of these, despite the many additions made to it after its construction, which detract from some of its beauty. It stands out, however, for being set in a spectacular location, at the northern end of the town surrounded by a winding meander of the Duratón.
A little further on we find the Mirador de la Virgen de la Peña with exceptional views of the river.
For those interested in ancient art it is not a bad idea to visit the Museo de los Fueros, with an interesting collection of religious art from between the 13th and 18th centuries.
It is also worth passing through the Plaza del Trigo, next to the Plaza de España and then taking the beautiful Calle de los Fueros with buildings on one side and on the other beautiful views of the houses below and the river Caslilla.
But the great charm of Sepúlveda lies in wandering through its narrow streets, discovering its noble houses, its magnificent popular architecture and its picturesque corners. The steep slopes of its streets give the town a personality of its own. And they also toughen the legs of visitors, who can often be overtaken on the climbs by the old local women, who are much more accustomed to such steep terrain.
Sepúlveda is one of the main tourist destinations in the province of Segovia, which is becoming increasingly popular in the Castile and León region. It has managed to carve out a niche for itself in what is known as rural tourism, which is becoming increasingly popular, combining both its spectacular natural and cultural heritage.
