© 2018 Snapping the Globe, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
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.
For more pictures, check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.
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.
Down the road, we headed a short distance, and with the hilly terrain, were glad we didn’t have to walk. Arriving at Q’enqo, our tickets were punched and we entered the premises. Though there wasn’t much signage to let us know what we were seeing, we made our way through the site.
What we learned later, from the book the cab driver gave to us to look through, was that the site was the smallest of the four ruins and was built as a house and ceremonial site for an important Inca citizen. Nestled into a large rock on Socorro Hill, we entered from the rear of the site and found a fully intact ritual altar…a dark reminder of the sacrificial practices of the Incas.
The drive to our next destination wasn’t an extremely long one and we were soon arriving at the former military fortress of Puka Pukara. Located high above Cusco, the small site offers panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and was probably built there to give the military a great view over important parts of the empire. The site consists of large walls, terraces and staircases and is well marked, guiding you throughout.
Just across the highway was the ruins of Tambomachay. A short walk from the road, we anxiously quickened our pace, worried that we would not be able to see everything marked on the map given to us at the entry during our allotted twenty minutes.
Keeping a close eye on the time, it seemed much too soon as we made our way back to the parking area to meet our ride back into town.
As we walked through the large plaza area, Edmundo explained that it was capable of holding thousands of people and was designed for ceremonial activities. The massive terrace walls were the main attraction here, however. The stones used in the wall’s constructions are among the largest used in any building in pre-Hispanic American and so precisely cut and fitted that not even a piece of paper can be inserted between them. The longest wall is approximately 400 meters long and 6 meters tall and appears to be a sort of three dimensional jigsaw puzzle with its largest stone weighing more than 360 tons and 29 feet high. Edmundo pointed out many stones that were cut and placed, forming shapes…a puma’s paw, a llama, a snake, a guinea pig and a bird…shapes we would never have seen had we not had a guide.
As we stood high over the city, the sky darkened and lightening began to flash. So exposed to the elements, we were a bit nervous, however, as accustomed to the ever-changing weather, Edmundo continued his monologue, guiding us through the site, informing us that Sacsayhuamán once had three towers and a labyrinth of rooms large enough to accommodate 5,000 Inca soldiers.
Making our way back down to the parade ground, where the Inti Raymi winter solstice festival is held every June and attended by tens of thousand of spectators, we crossed the massive area over to the Rodadero which was believed to be the religious and ceremonial section. Most of the structures once at the Rodadero were torn down by the Spaniards and later inhabitants of Cusco. We were led down below ground through a passage, ducking our heads to make our way through and emerging above ground in another area. Fun as that was, the best part was coming across the high, smooth rocks that descended in a wavy pattern. Edmundo led me carefully uphill and had me sit. Scooting forward, I began to slide down, faster and faster until I reached the bottom! Yes, the Incas surely must have had fun on this!
As we disembarked and made our way to the entrance, there were many guides seeking to assist visitors. Although we had originally thought we would hire a guide, when we finally made a decision on one particular person, someone hired them before we could. We finally decided to tour the premises on our own, a decision I realized would probably benefit me more than my husband. When I am trying to capture a place photographically, I always feel a bit disrespectful when I am shooting while they are speaking, however, if I don’t capture what I want to and we quickly move on, I feel a bit cheated. Since, it would have been just him and I, it would have been more evident that I was only half listening than when we were part of a group.
As we made our way up the Cultivation Terraces, we found our way to the City Gate and then on to the Cemetery, Funerary Rock and the House of the Guardians, finding that some amazing views of Machu Picchu can be had here.
Half an hour later, we returned to find an even greater number of people on the premises, making descent to the lower portion of Machu Picchu difficult. Spying llama nearby, we used them as a distraction for a while to rest up for the fight down the stairways.
Following the crowds, we made our way past the Temple of the Three Windows, the Main Temple and the Main Square with park directors keeping everyone on the path and moving in one direction. Eventually, we made it to the Sacred Rock and noticed the entrance to Huayna Picchu, the starting point to an arduous climb to the soaring pinnacle. Though we had had the opportunity to purchase tickets for the climb, staring up at this peak and the minuscule figures making their way up the steep paths, we were glad that we had skipped that part. Though I am not afraid of heights, I couldn’t image making my way up to the top…I was having trouble with the lack of oxygen in the higher altitudes on some of the simpler paths.
After a walk through some of the small markets and a glimpse at the Presidential Palace, we jumped back into a cab and headed back toward Miraflores. Traffic of course, was at its usual, almost standstill. Heading down Avenue Arequipa, we made a quick decision to stop our driver near a street heading to Huaca Pucllana (read about my first visit on my post A Peruvian Pyramid), a great adobe and clay pyramid which served as an important ceremonial and administrative center between the years of 200 and 700 AD. Luckily, an English tour was about to commence and were able to follow along, learning about the historic structure.
Finally, we headed back toward Parque Kennedy in the center of Miraflores. Walking through the park, I pointed out the Church of the Miraculous Virgin (read about my first visit in my post The Colonial Church) and City Hall. Guiding my husband toward a store, La Quinta, with tables piled high with clothing, he inquired as to whether he was going to get some of the churros that I always talk about. Yes, but first a little shopping expedition (read more about it in my blog post Shop Til You Drop)!
So, we were up early the next morning and heading even further south into Peru. Though is was an arduous task getting to the airport, even with easy Saturday traffic, the check-in process with LC Peru was quite simple and before lunchtime, we had already checked into our hotel in Cusco.
Finally, with tickets in hand, we set out to accomplish the last of our tasks of the day, collecting our tickets for our Sacred Valley tour the next morning. This tour had been set up for us by a friend of a friend. As we found the office, met the agent and paid for the tour tickets, we were instructed on our pick up time in the morning and what our day would entail…lots of stops, beautiful ruins, interaction with the local people and lunch. Very excited about to hear what our upcoming day, we bid our travel agent goodbye and continued our explorations of the Plaza de Armas, culminating with a scrumptious, Peruvian dinner.
Looking for a “Trajan Market” sign (or the Italian equivalent) marking the entrance, I must have walked past the actual entrance three or four times before I realized that the Museum of the Imperial Fora was where I needed to be.
Walking to the far end of the building, I utilized the stairway and headed to the courtyard on the side of the market. Here, current exhibitions are on display and I was pleasantly surprised to discover The Spiral, an installation designed by artist Luminita Taranu, inspired by the Trajan’s Column. I loved the colorful hues and metals used in the creation of this masterpiece…and I loved the photo opportunities it presented!
Walking back through the interior part of the compound, I took more time to inspect the intricacies of the construction and the pieces that occupied its interior.
