Saint Martin Church: Raking view of facade showing arcade

The city's history is barely documented before the late 11th century, however, when Segovia was absorbed into the kingdom of Castile. Its newly acquired importance is illustrated by the extraordinary concentration of 13 Romanesque churches in and around the city. Most are built in a distinctive Segovian style, with tall, narrow, steep-roofed towers and external arcades--more reminiscent of Aragon, or even Lombardy, than of Castile. S Mart\u00EDn (12th century), for example, which originally had three eastern apses and transepts, has external arcades, with very finely carved capitals. In the west-portal jambs are figures of saints. The east end and interior have been much altered.