So here I am back in one of my favorite towns of my beloved Spain. I don’t have to repeat myself when I came here first and my memories with family here always coming from Madrid where I used to lived.
There are many things to see in Segovia, not just the major tourist attractions that are also major monuments in the history of our Spain. I can only recall the Chapel of Santa Barbara in the Cathedral , who is the Patron Saint of my native town. etc. However,there are museums too and very good ones indeed.
I like to tell you a bit on the museums of Segovia at least my favorite ones.
The Museo de Segovia museum in the Casa del Sol is a cultural institution of the Spanish State managed by the Autonomouse community of Castilla y León, which guards the arts of the province of Segovia. Throughout its history it has had several denominations, Museum of Paintings, Museum of Fine Arts or Provincial Museum, as well as various headquarters from the initial in the episcopal palace in 1842, passing through the Church of San Facundo 1845 and the House del Hidalgo 1967 , until settling in the Casa del Sol or sun house dating from king Enrique IV times.
The building, nestled in a ram in the western section of the medieval wall, is a reform of the old slaughterhouse; the Casa del Sol museum made between 1986 and 2006. The Museum is made up of some 1,500 pieces with archaeological, ethnological and fine art backgrounds from the Segovian region. The archaeological pieces range from the Paleolithic, through Celtiberian, Roman, Visigoth, Islamic, to the Christian era. The collection of sculptures, paintings and decorative arts come from the Spanish confiscation of the 19C. The permanent exhibition is organized in 7 rooms on 4 floors.
They are as on the ground floor: Room A. “Segovia in time. The roots of History” (Geology, Geochronology, Geography and Landscape). Room B. “From the First Villagers to the Altomedieval World” (Prehistory, Ancient History and Visigothic Period). Room C. La Piedra Labrada (Ancient, medieval Lapidary and Barral collection, in the courtyard).
Upstairs: Room D. “The Low Middle Ages. Church, Nobility and Pueblo Llano”. (From Islam to the 16C: Romanesque, Gothic and Mudejar. Painting. The Lord and the War. Castles and Alcázares. Departure to the Adarve. The Grinding and its Measures. Grazing, Mesta and Transhumance Wool and Dresses (Batanes, looms and Knitting Machines).
Mezzanine I: Room E. “Renaissance and Baroque. The Austrias”. La Estampa.Arquitectura: the New Cathedral. Painting. Hydraulic Energy and its Technique: Numismatics in Segovia. Navafría Copper Martinete.
Mezzanine II: Room F. Sculpture of the 15-16C. Room G. “The Bourbons and the Enlightenment. The 20C”. The constructions of the Bourbon Segovia. The Royal Factories: La Granja, El Aserrío de Valsaín and the Cloths of Laureano Ortiz de Paz. Popular pottery (highlighting the Fernando Arranz collection). Traditional clothing Contemporary painting and sculpture.
And great views over Segovia and the Cathedral from the museum!!!
Tourist office of Segovia on the Museum
Official museums of Castilla y Leon on the Museum of Segovia
Another wonderful building that I came straight for it is the Casa Museo Antonio Machado , one of Spain leading poet/writer. He first came here in November 25 , 1919 to hold a place as professor of French in the Instituto General y Técnico where he stayed until 1932. And even thus he leaves the city in September 1932 to teach French in the Instituto Calderón de la Barca in Madrid. He did came back for visits afterwards; Segovia keeps a very big heart for him. He was actually born in Sevilla in 1875 , and founder of the Spanish Modernismo been part of the famous Generation of ’98 and member of the Spanish Royal Academy.
From 1949, Segovian friends of the poet decided to ensure that the building did not disappear. In 1951, they bought the apartment, then in 1974, they bought the whole house. They make it a house-museum. Visitors can view the writings and personal belongings of Antonio Machado. Original objects are still there, such as the iron bed, furniture or the oil heater. A bust of the poet made by the sculptor Ignacio Barral is placed in the access garden. The house-museum is administered by the Real Academia de Historia y Arte de San Quirce. Antonio Machado was a member of this cultural institution, along with other intellectuals from the province. Their webpage is here: Real Academia de San Quince on house museum of Antonio Machado
One of the poems I always remember was dedicated to the assassination of another great Poet/writer of Spain, Federico Garcia Lorca in the early stages of the Spanish Civil War, “El Crimen fue en Granada” = Se le vio, caminando entre fusiles, por una calle larga, salir al campo frío, aún con estrellas de la madrugada. Mataron a Federico cuando la luz asomaba” IN short, it translates as, The crime was in Granada. He was seen walking amongt rifles on a long street, going out into the cold field still with stars of the night. They killed Federico when the daylight looms. One of my favorite poets of Spain. There is a guide map where you can trace the walks of his daily routines in the city ask the tourist office.
Tourist office of Segovia on the House Museum of Antonio Machado
Tourist office of Province of Segovia on the House Museum of Antonio Machado
And there you go , there is arts in Segovia and very good ones indeed. Hope you have the time to enjoy them. My favorite museums of Segovia.
And remember, happy travel, good health, and many cheers to all!!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 