Alcazar

This past Saturday I finally entered the Alcázar. I have learned so much about the Alcázar in my culture class that I really could not wait to go inside. When we first arrived, we headed downstairs to see the ancient foundations of the castle. Many experts believe that these foundations date back to the Romans. The castle has a very long and complicated past with various kings and queens moving in and out, the most well known being Ferdinand and Isabella. I got to see thrones built for the king and queen in one of the rooms. I learned that Isabella, in reality, did not stay in the castle all too often and preferred the palace of San Martín. Philip II fully restored the castle inside and out and completely changed its outside appearance. He was also married to Anne of Austria in the castle. We walked through the military museum, as well, where I learned that Charles III turned the Alcázar into a military academy to train military officers. My favorite part of the visit was our trip up the torre. The view of the city from the tower was amazing on such a beautiful day. We had a great view of the giant cathedral with the snow-capped mountains in the background.