In December 1985, UNESCO added the “historic city of Segovia and its Roman aqueduct” to its list of World Heritage Cities. There was certainly no shortage of reasons, as the beauty of its setting, its surroundings, its buildings, groves and streets seems to have carried considerable weight in a decision based precisely on such values.

However, the city is not merely the physical element. This can be seen here and now. But the human element that has shaped the city is unseen, and yet it is the very essence of the city.

Segovia is what it is because it was from here that Alfonso X studied the heavens. Because Quevedo drew inspiration from its spaces – and indeed its people – to write Buscón don Pablos. Also because in this city, Isabel I, the Catholic, was proclaimed Queen of Castile, with all that this event meant for history. And because a book was printed here for the first time in Spain.

Segovia has been shaped by the mystics Juan de la Cruz and Teresa de Jesús; and by the brave warriors Juan Bravo, the Comunero, or Día Sanz and Fernán García, who conquered Madrid from the Moors. But Segovia has also been shaped and given meaning by the words of María Zambrano; the walks, gatherings and lessons of Antonio Machado at the secondary school; Gómez de la Serna unveiling “The Secret of the Aqueduct” and Louis Proust conducting research at the Royal Chemistry Laboratory in the shadow of the Alcázar.

Let it be known to all that Segovia once had a thriving Jewish community, with such prominent figures as Abraham Senneor, chief judge of the Jewish quarters of Castile, and that in the Moorish quarter, the alfaqi Iça de Gebir wrote his highly significant work Kitab segoviano or Breviario sunní whilst the Prior of the nearby convent of Santa Cruz, Tomás de Torquemada, mulled over his ideas, plotting a thorough purge of the religious establishment.

Segovia also prospered thanks to its international wool trade and its powerful textile industry, which for centuries ensured the well-being of the people of Segovia, a fact reflected in the city’s architecture and, above all, in the archives that jealously guard the written past.
 But today, Segovia continues to thrive, even though its economy is now based on the cultural and gastronomic attractions it offers its visitors. The city boasts several interesting museums and exhibition halls, as well as renowned taverns and restaurants where one can sample the specialities of Segovian cuisine.

Several times a year, the city’s streets and squares become the setting for artistic activities: during Holy Week, it is inside the churches that music lovers are treated to concerts as part of the Week of Sacred Music.

Titirimundi fills the spaces with puppets and marionettes eager to tell impossible stories brimming with magic and imagination.

Folksegovia has become the most prestigious world music festival held in Spain. It is a very special sensation to hear, in the space of a short time, African rhythms and nostalgic, misty Scottish music, alongside the ancient Romanesque stones of San Juan de los Caballeros.

Palace courtyards, convent cloisters and remarkable façades also serve as the setting for the numerous events of the International Festival (MUSEG), where you can enjoy the Chamber Music Week.

Of course, the presence of two university campuses also means that the number of educational and cultural activities offered by Segovia is growing every day in the shadow of the monuments that have made it a World Heritage City.

Rafael Cantalejo San Frutos – Member of the Royal Academy of History and Art of San Quirce.