2-370-613 - Samuel Magal/Sites & Photos/Heritage Images

The Hall of the Pine Cones (Sala de las Pinas) in the Alcazar of Segovia, Segovia, Spain, 2007. A stained glass window featuring King Alfonso IX and his daughter Berenguela. The hall is so named because the main feature of its ceiling resembles pine cones. The window was restored in the 20th century by Carlos Munoz de Pablos. The Alcazar of Segovia was originally built as an Arab fortress, probably in the 12th century. The majority of the current building was constructed during the Middle Ages and the palace was extended on a large scale. The Alcazar's profile resembles an imaginary ship rising above the confluence of the Eresma and Clamores Rivers. It is preceded by beautiful gardens with statues of Daoiz and Velarde, heroes of the War of Independence. The Old Town of Segovia was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985.