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How many years had it been since I visited Madrid?
Two or three at least.
As much as my tired body wanted to sleep the afternoon away, the city that I had missed all that time, was beckoning. After a small nap, I met up with a local friend of mine that I had planned to spend the afternoon with. She explained that she had wanted to take me to Real Monasterio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial, the burial site of Spanish kings and queens, but it was Monday and she was dismayed to find that it was closed, as many things are in Spain on Mondays.
In a bit of a panic, especially when she learned that I had nothing else in mind, she made a quick call to her brother. What to do? What to do?
Pedraza.
Jumping into her car, we headed out of the city and onto the highway. About an hour and a half later, we were pulling into the walled city.
Located in the province of Segovia, the small medieval town of approximately 500 residents, has retained its old world style. Porticoes, old stone houses, and cobblestone streets stand in stark contrast to the modern, metropolis of nearby Madrid and it has been described as one of the most beautiful small towns in Spain.
We parked our car and made our way past small hotels, shops and residences into the Plaza Mayor, which was mostly quiet except for a couple of other small tourist groups. Heading to the main restaurant, we ordered beers and tapas and took a seat outside in the late afternoon sunshine.
I can honestly say, I don’t know I’ve ever experienced something so serene, so simplistic and so historic. It truly felt as though we were enjoying our beverages and food on a movie set. It is here, in the square, that the town holds the Concierto de las Velas festival during La Noche de las Velas in July, where the residents of the town light candles along the streets and in their residences and multiple concerts are held featuring varying types of Spanish classical music.
Feeling rejuvenated, we headed up the dirt road toward the Pedraza Castle, passing the church and its bell tower topped with a huge stork’s nest.
Though the castle was closed, we were able to walk around the exterior and take pictures of the sturdy structure. Acquired by painter Ignacio Zuloaga, in 1925, the purchase cemented the artist’s love of the area that his artistic eye always desired to capture.
The original building dated back to the days of the Romans and was an impenetrable fortress that housed the sons of Francis I, King of France after his signing of the “Treaty of Madrid”. So that Francis I kept his word, his sons, aged 11 and 10 were kept in the castle under the Emperor’s orders until their ransom was paid.
Today, the castle is still owned by the Zuloaga family and can be visited if the family is not in residence.
We continued our walk through the town and found ourselves at the impressive gate. Nearby was a doorway and it appeared to be welcoming guests. The Carcel de la Villa, or jail, was located in the “Tower” and had several rooms in which prisoners were kept. We paid our entrance fee, however, since I did not speak fluent Spanish, we opted to skip the guided tour. We were given a written guide and moved through the space on our own, learning about its unique history on two levels, the upper, reserved for smaller delinquents and the basement, for dangerous criminals.
We walked back through the gate and made our way on the outside of the town’s walls and to our waiting car.
Though it was a weekday and much quieter than when heavier crowds descend on the town on the weekends, it was a wonderful and unique way to spend the fall afternoon. The historic city walls were beautiful and the restored buildings remarkably perfected. Spending the night in one of the old hotels could be an unparalleled adventure while continuing on to Segovia the next day.
Just make sure to take a good look at the picturesque city from afar…a place of beauty…as Zuloaga once attested.
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Pedraza Castle
- http://museoignaciozuloaga.com/es/
- Address: Calle Real 5, 40172, Pedraza
- Hours: Open all year from Wednesday to Sunday. Summer, 1100-1400 and 1700-2000. Winter, 1600-1800. The visit consists of the Patio “Entre Muros”, “Patio de Armas” and “Museo en Torre Norte” with works by Ignacio Zuloaga and Decorative Arts. The Museum in the Tower is available for visitation on the first Friday on each month, by reservation and presents the private rooms and studio of Zuloaga and other masters as well as objects of great value.
- Admission: Adults, 6€, Children under 10, free
- Getting There: By car (recommended), it takes approximately one and a half hours. By bus, take an hourly bus from Madrid Moncloa to Segovia. The bus only runs from Segovia to Pedraza on certain days, so check the schedule. Total travel time, 2 hours and 38 minutes. By train, from Madrid-Chamartin station, take the train to Segovia Guiomar. Transfer to the number 11 bus to Plaza Artilleria (20 minutes). Walk approximately 8 minutes to bus stop to Pedraza for the twenty-eight minute ride. Total travel time, 3 hours and 18 minutes
Carcel de la Villa
- https://www.pedraza.net/carcel-de-la-villa/
- Address: Calle Real 15, 40172 Pedraza, Spain
- Hours: Monday to Saturday, 1100-1400 and 1600-1900. Sunday, 1130-1400. Closed January 1, September 9 and December 25.
- Admission: Adults, 3€
As we entered and paid our admission, once again, I noticed that photography was not allowed. No…not even without a flash.
After we began our self-guided tour and began to see the unimaginable beauty presented in this “Mother Church”, I was even more disappointed about the No Photography rule.
Another spectacular piece, which can be spied from the outside, in the north tower, is the famous Maria Angola bell. Weighing over 13,000 pounds and standing just over seven feet, the bell, cast in 1659 was named, according to local tradition, after an Angolan slave who threw gold into the crucible where the bell was being made. Now cracked, it is only rung on special occasions and can be heard reportedly from more than 20 miles away.
The cathedral attracts thousands of visitors each year and includes a visit to the adjoining Church of Triumph (Iglesia del Triunfo) which was built in 1538, three years after the conquistadors settled in Cusco. The statue of St. James, slaying an Inca, sits atop the church as a tribute to the belief that this patron saint of Spain played a major role in the Spanish miraculously driving back the Incas during a siege from 1533 and 1536.
Also attached to the church, and included in the visit to the cathedral, is the Church of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, a great place to see the art work of colonial Peruvian Inca artists.
After a brief introduction, he uttered those words I hate…”pictures are not allowed”.
As we stood in the choir loft of the church, carved of cedar by local Franciscan Friar Luis Montes, Isisdro Fernandez Inka and Antonio Paz, we admired what we could see below in the dimly lit space…the Latin cross plan with three naves and topped with a high square tower. Inquiring of the opening hours so that I might return, we were told that although hours were posted, they are not always reliable.
