Alcázar of Toledo (Spain)

The Alcazar is another great attraction of historic Toledo, the city's major landmark. This can be seen from far away, dominating building for centuries, great fortress overlooking strategically on the eastern plains of Castile, over the river Tagus. The building dates back to the tenth century and was built when Toledo was considered the most important city in Moorish Spain. Its roots, however, seems to be much older: in the third century began as a Roman palace, later restored during the reign of Alfonso VI and Alfonso X and modified in 1535 under Idi Carlos Spain, who commissioned the work to the architect Alonso de Covarrubias . It was designed as a true fortress, organized around a rectangular courtyard with two levels of arches supported by classical columns. The facade is austere and is divided into three levels of intensive, around it are grouped decorating and a giant shield on the Empire port. Impresses in particular the scale, later enlarged by Francisco de Villalpando. Under Christian domination it was briefly set to the royal residence, but with the transfer of the court in Madrid became a military academy. Significant in the history of the city was the role dell'Alcazar during the Spanish Civil War, when the fortress was almost destroyed during a siege of 70 days. Under General Franco was rebuilt as a military museum. The Alcazar was also the temporary residence of queens like Mary Anne of Austria (widow of Philip IV) and Mariana of Neuburg (widow of Charles II).