Segovia Cathedral

During our 2009 drive through Spain, we stopped in Segovia, where the cathedral rises so dramatically above the rooftops that it seems to dominate the entire city.

The cathedral standing today was built to replace an earlier one that was badly damaged during the Revolt of the Comuneros. Construction began in 1525, but the enormous project continued for generations. The cathedral was not formally consecrated until 1768—243 years after its first stone was laid.

Its soaring vaults, elaborate pinnacles and stained-glass windows make it one of Europe’s last great Gothic cathedrals, earning it the nickname “The Lady of the Cathedrals”. Its tower once had a wooden spire made from mahogany brought from the Americas, but lightning struck it in 1614 and started a fire. The spire was rebuilt in stone, creating the tower visible today.