Alcázar of Segovia The Alcázar of Segovia ( literally , " Segovia Castle " ) is a stone fortification , located in the old city of Segovia , Spain . Rising out on a rocky crag above the confluence of the rivers Eresma and Clamores near the Guadarrama mountains , it is one of the most distinctive castle - palaces in Spain by virtue of its shape – like the bow of a ship . The Alcázar was originally built as a fortress but has served as a royal palace , a state prison , a Royal Artillery College and a military academy since then . The castle is one of the inspirations for Walt Disney ' s Cinderella Castle . History . The Alcázar of Segovia , like many fortifications in Spain , started off as an Arab fort , which itself was built on a Roman fort but little of that structure remains . The first reference to this particular Alcázar was in 1120 , around 32 years after the city of Segovia returned to Christian hands ( during the time when Alfonso VI of León and Castile reconquered lands to the south of the Duero river down to Toledo and beyond ) . However , archaeological evidence suggests that the site of this Alcázar was once used in Roman times as a fortification . The shape and form of the Alcázar was not known until the reign of King Alfonso VIII ( 1155 – 1214 ) , however early documentation mentioned a wooden stockade fence . It can be concluded that prior to Alfonso VIII ' s reign , it was no more than a wooden fort built over the old Roman foundations . Alfonso VIII and his wife , Eleanor of Plantagenet made this Alcázar their principal residence and much work was carried out to erect the beginnings of the stone fortification we see today . The Alcázar , throughout the Middle Ages , remained one of the favorite residences of the monarchs of the Kingdom of Castile and a key fortress in the defense of the kingdom . It was during this period a majority of the current building was constructed and the palace was extended on a large scale by the monarchs of the Trastámara dynasty . In 1258 , parts of the Alcázar had to be rebuilt by King Alfonso X of Castile after a cave - in and soon after the Hall of Kings was built to house Parliament . However , the single largest contributor to the continuing construction of the Alcázar is King John II who built the ' New Tower ' ( John II tower as it is known today ) . In 1474 , the Alcázar played a major role in the rise of Queen Isabella I of Castile . On 12 December news of the King Henry IV ' s death in Madrid reached Segovia and Isabella immediately took refuge within the walls of this Alcázar where she received the support of Andres Cabrera and Segovia ' s council . She was crowned the next day as Queen of Castile and León . The next major renovation at the Alcázar was conducted by King Philip II after his marriage to Anna of Austria . He added the sharp slate spires to reflect the castles of central Europe . In 1587 , architect Francisco de Morar completed the main garden and the School of Honor areas of the castle . The royal court eventually moved to Madrid and the Alcázar then served as a state prison for almost two centuries before King Charles III founded the Royal Artillery School in 1762 . It served this function for almost a hundred years until March 6 , 1862 where a fire badly damaged the roofs and framework . It was only in 1882 that the building was slowly restored to its original state . In 1896 , King Alfonso XIII ordered the Alcázar to be handed over to the Ministry of War as a military college . Interior . According to " The Illustrated Magazine of Art " ( 1853 ) The original interior was badly damaged by fire in 1862 , though it has since been partially restored . Today , the Alcázar remains one of the most popular historical sites in Spain and is one of the three major attractions in Segovia . Notable rooms are the Hall of Ajimeces which houses many works of art , the Hall of the Throne and the Hall of Kings with a frieze representing all of the Spanish Kings and Queens starting from Pelagius of Asturias down to Juana la Loca after moving to El Palacio Real in Madrid , Spain .