Proctor en Segovia: History Comes Alive

One of the defining features of Proctor en Segovia is how the program turns all of Spain into a classroom. Monuments and neighborhoods of cities and towns become primary sources – pushing students to think about context, perspective, and change over time. In this week's post, five students reflect on those moments of connection between their studies and Proctor en Seogvia excursions: standing inside the Civil War-era Alcázar de Toledo after watching a film about Franco's siege, encountering statues of characters from La Celestina in Salamanca days after reading the play, and climbing 190 stairs to the bell tower of Segovia's own cathedral. Read their reflections and enjoy photos below!

Catedral de Segovia - Pippa ’27

An event that will stick with me regarding my Segovia experience happened right in the heart of the city, in the breathtaking Cathedral of Segovia. In Rosa’s Spanish class, I was assigned to give a presentation on the 16th-century cathedral’s cultural, historical, and architectural significance, not only in Segovia but across all of Europe. I worked on this presentation for many days in advance, had researched photos and all, but walking into the colossal, monumental cathedral surpassed anything I expected. 

The building’s timeworn exterior is a familiar sight - we see it everyday walking to school and afternoon activities. However, Rosa pointed out the significant statue of Segovia’s patron saint and the incredible “arboradores” and external details. When we walked into the cathedral, my job was to explain the building’s rich history, but I had to take a minute and look at the beautifully tiled floors, the combination of Baroque and Gothic characteristics, and sheer height of the vaulted ceilings. I went on to explain the building’s long and complex backstory, with its original construction being destroyed by a Revolt of the Comuneros, and a two-hundred-year reconstruction process. Finally finished in the 1700s, it remains the very last Gothic-style cathedral in all of Europe, an important piece of history after Renaissance and late-Baroque architecture were most prominent.

We were then given time to climb the 190 stairs to the top of the bell tower. After an ascent up the tower that left us all out of breath, we explored the home of the “campanero,” whose job it was to ring the bell every hour (the bells are now on an automated system, not human-rung). We learned that the campanero never left that tower, and lived with his family up there for years and years. We looked out across Segovia, and could see for miles out. We got very lucky with the weather, given a bright, sunny day, and we could see the fields of Castile and Leon stretching out past the city’s walls.

Seeing the Cathedral of Segovia’s interior and bell tower made me question how I could walk right by something so historically significant and looming every day and take it for granted. I had gotten used to the sight of it, but looking at the golden details and the sheer height of this masterpiece offered a different outlook on the monuments here in Spain. Now, when I hear the bells ringing hourly, I think of the Campaneros and the history of the site.

Salamanca - Ale ’26

During our trip to Salamanca we got to visit some places we talked about in class. Some of the places that stuck out to me were Melibea and Calisto’s garden where Calisto fell in love with her. In Shelby’s Spanish Literature class, we did an adaptive murder mystery experience based on Fernando de Rojas’ play La Celestina. We were just talking about the story, and the fact that we got to see where much of it was set just a couple of days later was amazing. It is always better for me to have something I can refer to when reading a story, and the fact that we saw the things we talked about made our trip not only enjoyable but also educational.

Then we visited the statue of Lazarillo and his first master, the Blind Man; we read the picaresque short story “Lazarillo de Tormes” and completed an escape room based on clues from the plot. This statue was impressive because we could see the details of the Blind Man carrying a stick, so we could recognize it was him, and we could better understand Lazaro’s desperation by seeing how small he was next to the Blind Man in the statue. 

I feel like by visiting these places and taking pictures, I will be able to tell stories about them later on because I will remember visiting and reading about them. We also visited a statue of a bull, where in the story the Blind Man tricks his servant Lazaro into smashing his head into the stone. This was one of my favorite trips because we got to actually see what we learned and it was very interesting. There is always a meaning behind some statues and historical buildings in Spain, and that's what makes it so special. 

El Escorial - Adam ’26

My highlight from this week was El Escorial, with an honorable mention of Tenerife, but mainly El Escorial. The first reason I say this is because the size of this place was absurd. The fact that it was the biggest building in the world at a certain point is insane. Also, the sheer amount of wealth being flaunted, with all the granite and the living rooms full of gold and incredible paintings. One thing I noticed in particular in one of the fancy rooms was a chair, and every corner of it was extremely detailed, with engravings. There were many chairs in that room, which made it even more insane. 

Something in particular I like to think about when we go to these extremely extravagant cathedrals and castles is how the people in those times actually used those spaces. In El Escorial, that was a perfect place to do that because it had an interesting combination of religious places, living spaces, and tombs. Although the tombs were a little creepy, the amount of granite on the tombs and walls, and all the different kings and queens, was unreal. I was thinking about a king walking through, thinking about which tomb would be used next. I was also talking with Ale about the extravagant parties that were hosted in the fancy Borbón rooms, and how you could probably have twenty people in a room, and there were ten rooms all like this. The other part of the amount of granite that shocked me was how it got from the mountain into the walls and floors. The number of people and the time it took to go from the mountain to the wall or tomb is staggering.  

Picasso's Guernica - Museo Reina Sofía - Koga '26

The visit to the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía was definitely a highlight of the week and one of the most memorable experiences of my life. Seeing all of the art, sculptures, and posters throughout Europe was very interesting, and most importantly, Guernica was unreal. The painting represents the scene during the bombing of the small Basque city of Guernica by the Nazis, which was approved of by Franco. It was the biggest painting I saw in the museum and the most impactful. The people and animals suffering from the burning and bombing can be felt by just looking at it, and the eye with the light bulb inside made me think about the meaning of it. Is it like a sun? A symbol of something? I was thinking of a lot of things as I was watching the painting. The fact that this event actually happened made me feel sad and how lucky we are to live in the world where there is no war that is worldwide right now and wish for no more war so that this never happens to anyone. Visiting the Reina Sofia Museum will be an experience that I will never forget. 
 

Alcázar de Toledo - Nico ’26

We arrived on a beautiful day in Toledo, a city rich with history and beautiful scenery. Our last stop before heading to Madrid was the Alcázar. The fortress was impressively tall and breathtaking. There were several displays of miniature warrior figures. What struck me most were all the flags displayed in one of the rooms. I was very excited to visit this fortress because we had talked about it a lot in Derek's class; it's a subject that fascinates me greatly. This museum was my favorite. The courtyard was immense, and the view of the entire city of Toledo was breathtaking. I really enjoyed the firearms display, which represented the different types of firepower used during the conflict. What was also very impressive were the swords of different sizes and models, which came from all corners of the museum. The museum had many displays of different items used during various armed conflicts. The history depicted in this fortress is simply incredible. 

Being able to walk around such an important historical site made Spanish history far more interesting than if I had only studied it in class. Seeing the artifacts up close, including the weapons, armor, flags, and military exhibits, gave me a better understanding of the various wars and conflicts that have shaped Spain. The impressive size of the fortress, the incredible views of Toledo, and the wealth of history it contains made it both eye-pleasing and enriching. This trip allowed me to appreciate Spanish history more deeply and showed me how history can come alive through places like the Alcázar.
 

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