2-370-622 - Samuel Magal/Sites & Photos/Heritage Images

A culverin in the Royal Artillery Hall in the Alcazar of Segovia, Segovia, Spain, 2007. The Alcazar of Segovia was used as the Royal Artillery College from 1764 to 1862 when it was severely damaged in a fire. In 1896 the Alcazar was handed over to the Ministry of War as a military college by King Alfonso XIII. 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.