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84-503: The province has a population of 149,286, of whom about 35% live in the capital, Segovia . Of the 209 municipalities in the province, more than half are villages with under 200 people. The name Segovia is said to be of Celtiberian origin, but also thought to be derived from the conquest and occupation of Castile by the Visigoths , a Scandinavian / Germanic tribe living in Castile from

168-514: A basilica in which Franco was interred. Above rises a massive granite cross — 150 m high — which is visible from as far away as 50 km. In Rascafría , in the centre of the Lozoya valley, lies the Monasterio de Santa María de El Paular ("Monastery of Santa María of Paular"). Surrounded by scenic mountainscapes, the monastery features a large cloister and dates to the late 14th century. It

252-495: A centre of the tourism trade providing lodgings, restaurants and stores for visitors. Although these municipalities are located at the feet of the mountains, they are situated below 1,200 meters. The Sierra de Guadarrama serves as backdrop for the cities of Madrid and Segovia, although Segovia is located closer to the peaks than is Madrid. The Sierra de Guadarrama has a series of valleys and zones which are of special interest from both an aesthetic and ecological viewpoint. Due to

336-510: A century later in 1694, the population had been reduced to only 8,000 inhabitants. In the early eighteenth century, Segovia attempted to revitalize its textile industry, with little success. In the second half of the century, Charles III made another attempt to revive the region's commerce; it took the form of the Royal Segovian Wool Manufacturing Company (1763). However, the lack of competitiveness of production caused

420-564: A convent after the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492. The city of Segovia preserved also several monasteries and convents with active religious life: Urban sculpture in Segovia feature works depicting illustrious figures linked to the city, but there are also several works of a religious nature. One of the most iconic sculptures of the Loba Capitolina sits in front of the aqueduct. A copy of

504-424: A growing Jewish population and the creation of a foundation for a powerful cloth industry. Several splendid works of Gothic architecture were also completed during this period. Notably, Isabella I was proclaimed queen of Castile in the church of San Miguel de Segovia on December 13, 1474. Segovienne was a local flannel cloth used for upholstery in the 14th to 17th centuries. It was a twilled weave structure with

588-568: A hairy surface produced by using Spanish wool. Like most Castilian textile centres, Segovia joined the Revolt of the Comuneros under the command of Juan Bravo . Despite the defeat of the Communities, the city's resultant economic boom continued into the sixteenth century, its population rising to 27,000 in 1594. Then, as well as almost all the cities of Castile, Segovia entered a period of decline. Only

672-694: A highly developed tourism infrastructure, coupled with provisions for various mountain sports. This poses a threat to the fragile environment and habitats of the mountains. The name, Sierra de Guadarrama (Guadarrama Mountains), is taken from the Guadarrama River and the town of Guadarrama , both of which are located in these mountains. The word Guadarrama itself is derived from the Arabic words for 'sandy river' — composed of guad (from wadi , meaning 'river') and arrama (from ar-ramla , meaning 'sandy'). Another interpretation considers unlikely that

756-451: A hill protecting the town. It dates to the 14th century and an expansion during the 16th century. Although at one time in disrepair, the castle was restored in modern times and is in a good state of preservation. The structure is protected on all sides by its original, ancient walls, lending a medieval ambience to the surroundings. In the municipality of San Ildefonso in Castile and León lies

840-521: A large number of tourists. La Granja de San Ildefonso houses a national monument–The Royal Palace. Antonio Machado 's house is located in Ayllón. Tourism is one of the most important industries. In July 2014, the provincial government signed an agreement with Bankia which will contribute 10,000 euros to promote the province's tourism industry. Agriculture also contributes significantly to the province's Gross Domestic Product . Wheat, barley, rye and rice have been

924-683: A minor river could design a vast mountain range, and makes the name derive from the Latin aquae dirrama , meaning 'water divide', which very aptly describes the position of the sierra between the two largest water basins in the Iberian Peninsula , those of the Douro , to the north, and of the Tagus , to the south. In the Middle Ages, this mountain range was called Sierra del Dragón ('dragon range') because of

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1008-512: A proposal to designate the range as a national park ( Parque Nacional de Guadarrama ) has been under discussion. The aim was to protect the range from degradation caused by the heavy human traffic as a result of its proximity to large cities such as Madrid. The law that regulates the approved national park was published on June 26, 2013. Formerly two high traffic areas of the Guadarrama mountains have achieved protected nature reserve status: Over

1092-553: A prosperous Segovia sculptor who also created the Monument to the Youth located on the Plaza del Conde de Cheste. A few peasants have been recognized on the streets or town squares, as is the case for Aniceto Marinas, who dedicated a monument in 1943 to his friend and partner Mariano Benlliure . In the field of arms is the monument to Daoíz and Velarde , Aniceto Marina's work. By the same artist

1176-503: A rail connection to Madrid Chamartín and Valladolid-Campo Grande via the AVE network's Madrid–León high-speed rail line . The city of Segovia is home to a large number of primary schools and secondary schools, the oldest of which ( IES Andrés Laguna , founded in 1841) having been officially declared "of cultural interest." A high proportion of the student population attends state primary and secondary schools, while private schooling in Segovia

1260-543: A variety of wildlife such as Iberian ibex , roe deer , fallow deer , wild boar , badger , various types of weasel , European wild cat , fox and hare . The area is also rich in birdlife, including birds of prey such as the Spanish imperial eagle and the Eurasian black vulture . The mountain range's proximity to Madrid means it can get crowded with visitors. The range is crossed by numerous roads and railway routes. It has

1344-470: A very dry summer. But, as in any mountainous zone, the climate on the mountains proper changes markedly with increases in height, and can be differentiated into discrete climatic zones. Between 800m and 1,400m, the average annual temperature varies from 9 °C to 13 °C, with a summer high of 28 °C and winter low of -3 °C. Average annual precipitation is between 500 and 800 mm, predominately in non-summer months. At this elevation, much of

1428-423: Is 6-9 °C, with a summer high of 25 °C and winter low of -8 °C. Average annual precipitation increases with the height to 700–1,300 mm, again primarily during the non-summer season in the form of snow, but between December and April. Much of the snow remains on the ground for the duration of the winter, especially on the range's north slope. Between 2,000 and 2,428 m, the average annual temperature

1512-643: Is a city in the autonomous community of Castile and León , Spain . It is the capital and most populated municipality of the Province of Segovia . Segovia is in the Inner Plateau ( Meseta central ), near the northern slopes of the Sistema Central range and on a bend of the Eresma river . The city is famous for its historic buildings including three main landmarks: its midtown Roman aqueduct , its cathedral (one of

1596-455: Is a great variety of wildlife, with mammals such as Iberian ibex, roe deer , fallow deer , wild boar , badger , various types of weasel , European wild cat , fox and hare among others. Birds are also well represented with such specialities as citril finch and crested tit as well as the usual waterfowl, especially in the Embalse de Santillana ( Santillana reservoir ). Birds of prey include

1680-458: Is allowed every year with the felled trees used to supply firewood to local mountain villages. The westernmost area of the mountain range shows a change in species distribution and variety, with a predominance of stone pine ( Pinus pinea ) in place of scots-pine, and Portuguese oak and Holm oak in place of Pyrenean oak due to the lower elevations and higher precipitation of the region. As might be expected in such an important ecosystem, there

1764-405: Is already open, and the network is slowly being expanded further north. For much of its history, the central part of the range – including the forests and grasslands on both sides of the mountains – was associated with the city of Segovia, at least as far back as its Roman control under the name of Segóbriga . However, after the creation of the province of Madrid to meet the requirements of

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1848-471: Is also a tribute to Antonio Machado ; the poet Segovia also took refuge here from 1919 to 1932, a sculpture honoring him is located in the garden of his home museum, and was done by Emiliano Barral. Religious figures such as Domingo de Soto , Pius XII , Saint Anthony Mary Claret , Saint John of the Cross have their own urban sculptures, including the first work of Ortega and several from José María García Moro,

1932-763: Is an immense palace built to commemorate the Battle of St. Quentin (1557) , El Escorial is also an Augustinian monastery, museum, and library complex. It is in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial . Designed by the architects Juan Bautista de Toledo and Juan de Herrera in an austere Herrerian classical style, and built from 1563 to 1584, it is shaped as a grid in memory of the martyrdom of Saint Lawrence . The complex has an enormous store of art, including masterworks by Titian , Tintoretto , El Greco , Velázquez , Rogier van der Weyden , Paolo Veronese , Alonso Cano , José de Ribera , Claudio Coello and others; its library containing thousands of priceless ancient manuscripts; and

2016-535: Is between 4-6 °C, with a summer high of 20 °C and a winter low of -12 °C. Average annual precipitation is between 1,200 and 2,500 mm, mostly snowfall between November and May which remains all winter and into the spring. In summary, the climate of the Guadarramas is quite humid, more so than that of the rest of the Meseta Central (Central Plateau), and generally cold, increasing with elevation. In

2100-512: Is mostly religious in nature. Segovia's premier higher education institution is IE University , a business-oriented undergraduate university, building upon Instituto Empresa's successful MBA program at Madrid-based IE Business School. Also present is the Segovia campus of the University of Valladolid , offering studies for careers in computer engineering, law, journalism, advertising and education. MUCES (Muestra de Cine Europeo Ciudad de Segovia)

2184-403: Is one of the films presented to the audience. The Holy Week is one of the most important cultural and religious events in all of Segovia, it is oficially considered as a Fiesta of National Tourist Interest . During the week, 10 fraternities march through the streets of Segovia: There are many due to the longevity of the city, among the main ones are: There are also other different legends in

2268-573: Is sometimes also applied to the northern part of the main axis of the Guadarramas between Peñalara and Somosierra .) The 15 km long Carpetanos sub-range is an imposing sight, starting in the Community of Madrid at Navacerrada Pass , and averaging more than 2,000 metres in elevation all the way to the Morcuera Pass ( Puerto de la Morcuera ). From there, the Carpetanos slope downward until they reach

2352-629: Is the Spanish acronym to The City of Segovia Festival of European Cinema, an annual film festival which takes place in the city since 2006, usually in November. It gives the wider public a chance to get to know quality European cinema and, above all, it offers the general public an opportunity to see European films which have not yet been commercially screened in Spain, but have been very successful with critics and audiences in their own countries. "My Cat Lives in Segovia"

2436-738: Is the Virgin of the Aqueduct, located in the central niche of the monument at the Plaza del Azoguejo since the 16th century; it memorializes Colmenares. A series of virgins can also be found at the Fuencisla on Velarde Street, the los Remedios in front of San Juan Gate, the Socorro at the San Andrés Gate and the del Carmen on the street of its own name, among others. Segovia also has a work by Luis Sanguino , who lives in

2520-802: Is the reason why many peaks, especially in the northern and southern sections, have flattened summits, called "cuerdas" by mountaineers . For these reasons, the material making up the Sierra de Guadarrama is of more ancient origin than many other well-known mountain systems, such as the Pyrenees , the Alps , the Andes and the Himalayas . In the mid Paleozoic era (between 360 and 290 mya), an initial substratum of ancient granites and sediments started bending and metamorphizing, forming gneiss . Thereafter, approximately 290 and 250 mya during

2604-631: Is the sculpture dedicated to the list of people associated with the comunero Juan Bravo , made in 1921 and located in the heart of the city at the Square of the Sirens, the name given to two statues that top the stairs representing the mythological beings , which were made by Francisco Bellver in 1852. Other sculptures in the city include one devoted to physician Andrés Laguna made by the Segovian Florentino Trapero and located at Plaza de los Huertos,

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2688-565: The Baroque -style Palacio Real de la Granja de San Ildefonso , a royal residence actually used in summer by Spanish nobility. It was commissioned by Philip V of Spain in 1724. The palace's extensive gardens feature numerous sculptures of mythological beings, which are highly prized for their artistic value. The gardens were based on those King Philip V had known during his childhood in the French royal court . Guadarrama National Park For some years,

2772-653: The Carboniferous period , the gneiss fractured, allowed a mass of magma to reach the surface which ultimately hardened into a granite shelf tableland. In the final phase of the Paleozoic era, during the Permian period , the tectonic plate collision causing the whole mountain range to rise. Finally, during the end of the Paleozoic through the Mesozoic era (between 250 and 65 mya) and up to the present, ongoing erosion processes reduced

2856-582: The Lozoya river (location of the El Atazar Dam ), that passes by its namesake valley. On the South slope of the peak of Peñalara, at 2,200 m of elevation, there is a series of small, protected lakes of glacial origin. Although the mountain range proper features a great number of dams , they are all of small volume. In the Segovia facing slopes, the more prominent dams are Peces, Revenga, Pontón and Pirón, while on

2940-548: The Quaternary Period (1.8 mya up to the present) shaped several mountain profiles with small cirques , carved glacial lakes and left behind moraines . All three features can be found on Peñalara . Additionally, some traces of glacial passage are found in El Nevero and La Maliciosa in the form of sheepback -grooved rocks and small cirques. Finally, in the last million years, the action of glaciers caused consolidation of

3024-860: The Sierra de Guadarrama mountains, a subrange of the Sistema Central . The main route of the Camino de Santiago de Madrid passes through the city. Segovia has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate ( Csa in the Köppen climate classification ) bordering on a cold semi-arid climate ( BSk ), resulting from the high altitude and the distance from the coast. The average annual temperature is 12.42 °C (54.4 °F), with an average low in January of 0.3 °C (32.5 °F) and an average high in July of 29.7 °C (85.5 °F). The annual precipitation range from 400 to 500 mm per year in

3108-536: The Sierra del Hoyo (1,404 m, 4,606 ft), the Cerro Cañal (1,331 m, 4,366 ft), and Las Machotas (1,466 m, 4,809 ft). The peaks of Guadarrama have a relatively soft silhouette, with few standing out as exceptionally larger than others in the chain: The Sierra de Guadarrama is the result of a clash between tectonic plates belonging to the South sub-plateau and the North sub-plateau, both part of

3192-525: The Spanish Court , the political designation of the mountains was distributed between the two provinces. Today the range is more often associated with Madrid , given that city's prominence as Spain's capital. The Guadarramas' role as a natural barrier has been of importance in many of the armed conflicts that have afflicted Spain. For centuries, the range constituted a border between the Christian kingdoms to

3276-591: The confluence of the Lozoya and Jarama rivers. The highest peak of the Cuerda Larga is the Cabezas de Hierro at 2,383 metres. Between Cuerda Larga and the main extent of the Sierra de Guadarrama lies the Lozoya valley, one of the most picturesque mountain valleys of the Sistema Central, which attracts numerous tourists in the winter for skiing , as well as in the summer for other diversions. Another western branch of

3360-468: The province of Ávila , and Sierra de Ayllón in the province of Guadalajara . The range runs southwest–northeast, extending from the province of Ávila in the southwest, through the Community of Madrid , to the province of Segovia in the northeast. The range measures approximately 80 kilometres (50 mi) in length. Its highest peak is Peñalara , 2,428 metres (7,966 ft) in elevation. The flora of

3444-627: The 4th to 6th centuries AD. The provincial corporation consists of 25 elected members. After the recent elections there are 10 members of the Spanish Socialist Workers Party and 15 of the People's Party. The historical heritage of this province is rich and varied. The capital city has the 800-metre-long Roman Aqueduct of Segovia , which is unique to the province. The capital was declared a world heritage site in 1985. Sepúlveda, Ayllón, Pedraza, Coca and La Granja de San Ildefonso villages attract

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3528-518: The Americas, and 0.435% being Asians. In 1985 the old city of Segovia and its Aqueduct were declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO . The old city contains a multitude of historic buildings both civil and religious, including a large number of buildings of Jewish origin, notably within the old Jewish Quarter. One of the most historically important Jewish sites is the Jewish cemetery, El Pinarillo . Among

3612-521: The Capitoline wolf is preserved in the Capitoline Museum and was a gift that Rome gave to the city in 1974 during the events of the bimillennial anniversary of the aqueduct. Until a few decades ago, a monument dedicated to the artist Daniel Zuloaga, which was installed in 1924, could be seen in the Plaza de la Merced, but it was relocated to the Plaza de Colmenares. Currently located in the center of

3696-610: The Guadarramas, La Mujer Muerta ("The Dead Woman"), or Sierra del Quintanar (Quintanar Mountains), begins at the Fuenfría Pass (Puerto de la Fuenfría), and is located entirely in the province of Segovia. It is 11 km long and has several summits surpassing 2,000 metres, among them, the Montón de Trigo ("Wheat Pile"). In addition to the Cuerda Larga and La Mujer Muerta , a series of small mountains or foothills are located on

3780-733: The Iberian Peninsula's larger Meseta Central (Central Plateau). The mountain range was formed during the Cenozoic era (starting 66 million years ago), although the predominant material of which the mountains are composed ( granite shelf tableland) was preexisting, having been laid down during the Variscan orogeny during the Paleozoic era when the continental collision between Laurasia and Gondwana occurred to form Pangaea . The mountains have undergone significant erosion since their formation, which

3864-584: The Madrid facing slopes are found the Tobar, Jarosa, Navacerrada and Pinilla. Outside the boundaries of the mountain range, in the Community of Madrid, there are three dams of much greater size: the Valmayor, Santillana and Pardo. The flora and fauna of the Sierra de Guadarrama is very diverse, reflecting something of a synthesis between species common to the mediterranean landscape and climate of Spain's Central Plateau, and

3948-602: The Plaza de la Merced, looking towards the church of San Andrés is a bust of the poet Rubén Darío , sculptor Santiago de Santiago, which was donated by the Nicaragua government to the city in 1973. Letters related to the bust are also found in the Promenade Lounge, the famous poet José Rodas was first installed in 1927 in the plaza of the gardens, and moved to its present site in 1960 by the Segovian sculptor Aniceto Marinas. There

4032-402: The Sierra de Guadarrama are characterized in the higher elevation Atlantic vegetation region with Juniper groves , montane grasslands, Spanish broom thickets , pine forests , and Pyrenean Oaks forests ; and in the lower elevation Mediterranean vegetation region by Holm oak forests . while the pastures around the summits are fringed by juniper and Spanish broom shrubs. The mountains abound with

4116-592: The Somosierra pass, through which runs the Autovía del Norte , along with the Madrid to Irun railway. The mountains are crossed by separate rail routes between Madrid and Ávila , Segovia and Burgos , connecting the capital to the north of the country. These lines are already considered antiquated, and will be partially replaced with the new high speed Alta Velocidad Española ("Spanish High Speed") trains, with tunnels between Miraflores de la Sierra and Segovia. The AVE can achieve speeds of up to 300 km/h on dedicated tracks. The AVE route between Madrid and Segovia

4200-427: The Tagus, and the Duratón , Cega, and Eresma, which flow into the Duero. The geographical coordinates of the range's northeast terminus lies near 41° 4' North, 3° 44' West, and the southwestern end near 40° 22' North, 4° 18' West. Diverging from its main southwest-to-northeast alignment, the range has a westward-trending branch: the Cuerda Larga ("Long Rope"), or Carpetanos Mountains (Montes Carpetanos). (This name

4284-412: The battle in 75 BC where Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius was victorious over Quintus Sertorius and Hirtuleius . Hirtuleius died in the fighting. During the Roman period the settlement belonged to one of numerous contemporary Latin convents. It is believed that the city was abandoned after the Islamic invasion of Spain centuries later. After the conquest of Toledo by Alfonso VI of León and Castile ,

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4368-418: The bust of Lope de la Calle Martín, president of the provincial council, that was made by Emiliano Barral and can be seen in the square of San Facundo, or the monument "El Favorito" by Toribio García de Andrés in the early 20th century. In addition to this series of monuments and sculptures some other religious images worth mentioning can be found in the quieter corners of the city. The most significant of these

4452-442: The city. It is "El Mesonero Mayor de Castilla" ("The Elder Hotelkeeper of Castile"), at the Plaza del Santo Espíritu. The economy of Segovia revolves around metallurgy, agriculture, furniture, construction and tourism. The town itself plays host to thousands of day trippers from Madrid each year due to its popular attractions. Segovia is served by the Autopista AP-61 which opened in 2004. Segovia-Guiomar railway station provides

4536-403: The complex has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site . In the north face of Monte Abantos , surrounded by thick pine groves, is the Santa Cruz del Valle de los Caídos ("Holy Cross of the Valley of the Fallen"). Conceived by General Francisco Franco to honour those killed during the Spanish Civil War , the monument contains beneath it the remains of 40,000 fallen soldiers, as well as

4620-414: The context of the region. The predominant forms of vegetation in the mountainous areas include pine, evergreen, oak, beech and juniper. Aside from the main city, there are a number of other villages within the municipality of Segovia. The first recorded mention of a settlement in what is today Segovia was a Celtic possession. Control later passed into the hands of the Romans. The city is a possible site of

4704-421: The crown withdraw its sponsorship in 1779. In 1764, the Royal School of Artillery, the first military academy in Spain, was opened. This academy remains present in the city today. In 1808, Segovia was sacked by French troops during the War of Independence. During the First Carlist War , troops under the command of Don Carlos, Count of Molina unsuccessfully attacked the city. During the nineteenth and first half of

4788-487: The high mountain pastures, in the subalpine and mountainous flats, are some of the best natural scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris ) forests in Spain. Below the pine forests, the middle elevations are covered by groves of Pyrenean oak ( Quercus pyrenaica ), which sometimes encroach on the higher pine belt; this is problematic as Pyrenean oak have a protected conservation status and cannot be felled without dispensation from national park authorities. Nevertheless, controlled logging

4872-529: The impressive Spanish imperial eagle and Eurasian black vulture . In fact, the animal species inhabiting the Guadarramas represent 45% of the fauna of Spain and 18% of those in Europe as a whole. The Guadarramas are also a migration route for many species of bird including crane and black stork. Endangered species that inhabit the range include Spanish imperial eagle and the Eurasian wolf . The Guadarramas have climatic features , characterized by considerable temperatures changes between summer and winter and

4956-417: The incorporated neighborhoods. Segovia is twinned with: Segovia is the Antipode of Masterton , New Zealand . Sierra de Guadarrama The Sierra de Guadarrama (Guadarrama Mountains) is a mountain range forming the main eastern section of the Sistema Central , the system of mountain ranges along the centre of the Iberian Peninsula . It is in Spain, between the systems Sierra de Gredos in

5040-428: The large quantity of people who wish to live near the mountains. The most important cities are San Lorenzo de El Escorial , Guadarrama , Navacerrada , Cercedilla , Manzanares el Real , Miraflores de la Sierra and Rascafría in the Community of Madrid, and Los Ángeles de San Rafael and San Ildefonso in the province of Segovia. These towns are departure points for accessing the nearby mountain slopes and function as

5124-410: The last ones to be built in Europe following a Gothic style), and the medieval castle , which served as one of the templates for Walt Disney 's Cinderella Castle . The city center was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985. The name of Segovia is of Celtiberian origin. Although historians have linked its old name to Segobriga , the recent discovery of the original Roman city in

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5208-412: The lower plains, and can reach above 1000 mm in the nearby mountainous area of Sierra de Guadarrama , as rainfall and snowfall is more frequent up the mountains. Decent showers coming from summer thunderstorms help the mountainous area of the province to be rainier than average than most of the central Spanish plateau, which gives the area lush vegetation. All of this make the province a damp corner in

5292-400: The more specialized plants and animals native to the higher altitude and mountainous terrain of the Pyrenees and Alps . The high slopes of the mountains are covered in Alpine grasses and are extensively used as grazing land for cattle. The meat that these cattle produce is of excellent quality and is specially denominated and certified as Ternera de Guadarrama ("Veal of Guadarrama"). Below

5376-518: The most important cereals. During the seventeenth century many of the province's towns recorded decline in cereal production. Cattle rearing is also an important commercial activity. The historical population is given in the following chart: [REDACTED] Media related to Province of Segovia at Wikimedia Commons Segovia, Spain Segovia ( / s ɪ ˈ ɡ oʊ v i ə / sig- OH -vee-ə , US also / s eɪ ˈ -/ say- GOH - , Spanish: [seˈɣoβja] )

5460-420: The most important monuments in the city are: The city maintains an important collection of Romanesque churches of both stone and brick, which include the churches of San Esteban , San Millán , San Martín , la Santísima Trinidad , San Andrés , San Clemente , Santos Justo y Pastor , Iglesia de la Vera Cruz (Order of Malta) , and San Salvador . The old main synagogue is a former synagogue, converted into

5544-448: The mountains and terminates at the Fuenfría Pass. Although the road is still present with some original stone, it was rendered obsolete by roads built during the mid-18th century: the Guadarrama Pass, or "del León" route, serviced by national highway six, running from Madrid to Coruña (although another freeway, AP-6, which tunnels through the mountains, can also be used); the Navacerrada Pass highway passage between Madrid and Segovia; and

5628-475: The mountains' summits. The Guadarramas, as a result of their proximity to high population centres of cultural and educational importance, was one of the first areas of Spain where natural resources and the study of nature came to be valued, both for economic and educational reasons. This culminated in the establishment of the Institución Libre de Enseñanza (Free Institution of Education) in 1876, which advocated an assimilation into Madrid's cultural values of

5712-465: The nearby mountain range's natural beauty. By the 1920s, there was a call to declare the entire range a protected national park ; a notion that is still unrealized but has support today. The magnificent scenery, the balmy summer climate and, especially, the proximity to Madrid and Segovia have resulted in the erection of many striking buildings and monuments on the hillsides of the Sierra de Guadarrama. The Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial ,

5796-422: The nearby village of Saelices discarded this possibility. The name of "Segovia" is mentioned by Livy in the context of the Sertorian War . Under the Romans and Moors , the city was called Sego([u])via ( Σεγουβία , Ptolomeo ii. 6. § 56) and Šiqūbiyyah ( شقوبية ) respectively. Segovia is located near the Eresma rivercourse (a second-order tributary of the Douro ), close to the northwestern slope of

5880-424: The network of rivers crisscrossing the mountain slopes, carved valleys and terraces resulting in the current appearance of the landscape. The Sierra de Guadarrama is surrounded by prominent population centres, which feature many second residences, occupied during holiday periods. The population pressure on and nearby the southeast slopes of the mountains near the Community of Madrid is very high, motivated partly by

5964-429: The north and Muslims kingdoms to the south, during the times of Reconquest . The legacy of that epoch can be seen in the splendid medieval walled cities occupying both sides of the mountains, such as Buitrago del Lozoya and Manzanares el Real in Madrid, and the Castillo de Pedraza in Segovia. In 1808, during the Peninsular War fought by Spain against invaders from France, the Battle of Somosierra took place at

6048-410: The peaks the wind is usually very intense and thunderstorms in the mountains are more frequent than in the plateau. As it forms a natural barrier, the Guadarramas is crossed by important routes through the mountains linking the north and south of the Iberian Peninsula. The routes date back to Roman times with the construction of their famous roads , one of which starts in the town of Cercedilla, crosses

6132-561: The periphery of the main range. Notably, in the Segovia area, there are the Cerro (hill) de las Cardosillas (1,635 m, 5,364 ft), the Cerro de Matabueyes (1,485 m, 4,872 ft), the Cerro del Caloco (1,565 m, 5,134 ft), and the Sierra de Ojos Albos (1,662 m, 5,452 ft); and, in the Madrid area (from north to south), there are the Cerro de San Pedro (1,423 m, 4,668 ft),

6216-419: The precipitation falls as snow, between December and February, although there are always exceptions, and the snow rarely remains unmelted for more than three days. It is in this region that all cities and the majority of people live; this also means that of all distinguished elevations, it is the most susceptible to damage from human traffic and intrusion. Between 1,400 and 2,000 m, the average annual temperature

6300-457: The profile of Siete Picos mountain. The Guadarramas form a natural division between the North and South mesetas of the Iberian Peninsula , part of the so-called Sistema Central . The mountain bases are located between 900 and 1,200 metres above sea level, and the principal peaks of the range have an average topographic prominence of 1,000 metres. The range's highest peak, Peñalara , reaches 2,428 metres above sea level. The range begins in

6384-488: The proximity of Madrid's metropolitan area to the Guadarramas, many such special interest zones are host to a large number of mountain climbers and general interest tourists the year round. The most heavily visited areas are the Parque Natural de Peñalara (Peñalara Natural Park ) and La Pedriza , an unusual mountain formation. The climate of the Sierra de Guadarrama is marked by heavy precipitation which gives birth to

6468-467: The range's Somosierra Pass, where the Spanish were defeated by Napoleonic troops composed principally of Polish lancers. Likewise, in the Battle of Guadarrama during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) the range comprised an important front with skirmishes fought in the mountain passes between the loyalist and the rebel faction . Today, trenches and gun emplacements still survive along the line of

6552-475: The rims of Guadaramma mountain peaks and in some of their interior caves. Limestone formations are evident at a number of the peaks, notably El Vellón , La Pinilla and Patones . Other processes were in play during the Cenozoic era that shaped the present form of the Guadarramas. The erosion of the rocky massif provoked sedimentation which filled the mountain basins with sandstone . The action of glaciers during

6636-501: The size and smoothed and rounded the profile of the mountains of the Guadarramas. It was also during this geologic era that an ocean shift took place, causing the present-day location of the mountains to be part of the ocean for a time. It is possible that the then-peak formations were only small islands, barely rising above the level of the ocean. This accounts for the presence of limestone (a sedimentary rock formed predominately from calcite derived from marine organisms ) found in

6720-525: The son of King Alfonso VI, Segovia was resettled with Christians from the north of the Iberian peninsula and beyond the Pyrenees, providing it with a significant sphere of influence whose boundaries crossed the Sierra de Guadarrama and the Tagus . Segovia's position on trading routes made it an important centre of trade in wool and textiles. The end of the Middle Ages saw something of a golden age for Segovia, with

6804-549: The territory's numerous streams and rivers. There are several rivers of special relevance. The range's Segovia facing slopes give rise to the Moros and Eresma rivers, with the latter flowing through the City of Segovia . The Madrid facing slopes give rise to the Guadarrama river (from which the range and the town of Guadarrama take their names), the Manzanares river , that passes by Madrid, and

6888-590: The twentieth century, Segovia experienced a demographic recovery that was the result of relative economic stability. The population growth experienced during the nineteenth century accelerated steadily beginning around 1920: 16,013 inhabitants recorded that year, 33,360 in 1960, and 53,237 in 1981. Since the 1980s growth has slowed markedly: 55,586 in 2004 and 56,047 in 2007. As of 1 January 2019, there were 11% of inhabitants who were foreigners – 4.478% coming from other countries in Europe, 2.37% being Africans, 3.7% being from

6972-565: The valley of the Alberche river, which divides the Sierra de Gredos into two portions, and finishes at the Somosierra Pass , which serves as the hydrographic boundary between the river basins of the Tagus and Douro rivers. The mountains contribute fluvial material to both rivers through the action of various mountain streams, such as the Jarama , Guadarrama, and Manzanares , which empty into

7056-406: Was constructed at the behest of king Henry II of Castile and in 1876 was declared a Spanish National Monument. Manzanares Castle is a medieval fort in the municipality of Manzanares el Real , at the foot of La Pedriza . It is composed of several cylindrical towers and dates to the 15th century. In the town of Pedraza, is a namesake medieval castle, Castillo de Pedraza . The citadel rises on

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