Seville (Sevilla) is a port city in southwestern Spain on the Guadalquivir
River (Río Guadalquivir). The capital of Sevilla province, it is located 337
miles (543km) southwest of the country’s capital, Madrid. Seville is also
the capital and largest city of the Spanish autonomous community of
Andalusia. The city has a municipal population of about 690,000 (as of
2016), and a metropolitan population of about 1.5 million, making it Spain’s
fourth-largest city.
The main purpose of this webpage is to show some photos taken during a visit
here in the 2000’s.
Ruled by the Romans from the 2nd century BC, to the 5th century AD, Seville was taken by the Moors in the year 712. Ferdinand III conquered Seville in 1248. Seville is famous for its namesake oranges which are widely used for making marmalade. The city’s main industries have historically included agricultural machinery, chemicals, shipping and shipbuilding, and textiles.
The oldest part of Seville lies on the left bank of the Río Guadalquivir
and is laid out in an irregular maze of narrow streets and alleyways,
small enclosed squares, and Moorish-style houses. The layout becomes
more spacious in the central district near the Cathedral of Saint Mary
and the Royal Alcázars palace. More spacious and regular planning is
found beyond the walls of the old city centre, where there are more
modern residential and industrial districts.
Photos taken during a visit here in the 2000’s are shown below, followed
by a brief description of some of the city’s main sights:
Some of the main sights throughout the city include the following:
① Cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo de Indias (Located in the Barrio de
Santa Cruz, Seville’s old Jewish Quarter, and listed as a UNESCO World
Heritage Site, the three buildings here - Catedral de Sevilla, The Royal
Alcázars of Seville, and Archivo de Indias form a remarkable monumental
complex in the heart of the city. The city is well known for its large
15th-century cathedral (Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See, or Catedral
de Santa María de la Sede in Spanish), which contains the tomb of
explorer Christopher Columbus and paintings by renowned artists Goya and
El Greco. This five-nave building is the largest Gothic structure in
Europe. Most of it was constructed 1402-1506 on the site of the city’s
principal mosque, which had been built by the Almohads in 1180–1200 on
the site of an earlier Visigothic church. The cathedral’s interior
includes many fine artworks, including paintings by Murillo and
Zurbarán. Standing next to the cathedral is the Giralda minaret, one the
mosque’s few surviving portions and an impressive tower that is
considered the masterpiece of Almohad architecture. It was incorporated
into the cathedral as its bell tower.
The Royal Alcázars of Seville (Reales Alcázares de Sevilla),
historically known as al-Qasr al-Muriq / The Verdant Palace, is a royal
palace which was built for the Christian King Peter of Castile (Pedro
the Cruel). It is considered the finest surviving structure from the
Moorish period. Originally sited here was a 10th-century Abbadid Muslim
Alcázar, or residential fortress, built for Moorish rulers. After the
Christian Reconquest in the 1360’s, Moorish architects created the
Mudéjar-style buildings for Christian royalty seen here today. As well
as being the finest example of Mudéjar architecture in the Iberian
Peninsula, the palace contains Gothic, Renaissance and Romanesque design
elements from earlier stages of construction. The Spanish royal family
still occupy the palace’s upper floors when they are in Seville. The
Royal Alcázars of Seville, with its many rooms and exquisitely
landscaped gardens are one of the city’s must-see sights. Both the
cathedral and the Alcázar are a testimony to the civilization of the
Almohads, as well as that of Christian Andalusia.
Across from the Alcázar is the ancient Lonja, which became the Archivo
de Indias. It contains valuable documents from the archives of the
colonies in the Americas.) [See photos 1-15, above]
② Ayuntamiento (Also in Barrio de Santa Cruz, Seville’s City Hall stands
between the Plaza del San Francisco and the Plaza Nueva. The building
was completed 1527-34 and the side bordering the Plaza de San Francisco
is a fine example of the Plateresque style, favoured by architect Diego
de Riaño. The Neo-Classical west front was built in 1891. Intricately
carved reliefs on the southern façade depict historical and mythological
figures, as well as emblems of the founders of the city, Hercules and
Caesar. A small archway connects City Hall to the adjacent Franciscan
monastery.)
③ Calle de las Sierpes (the “Street of Snakes” in English, is Seville’s
main shopping street. It is located north of the cathedral and still
lies within Barrio de Santa Cruz.)
④ Casa de Pilatos (One of the finest palaces in Seville, the Casa de
Pilatos is located in Barrio de Santa Cruz, northeast of the cathedral.
Today, it is the residence of the Dukes of Medinaceli. The 16th-century
palace here is adorned with architectural and decorative elements
associated with High Renaissance Italy and the Holy Land. It was built
for the Marquis of Tarifa and was named so because it was thought to
resemble Pontius Pilate’s home in Jerusalem. The Moorish and Christian
architects incorporated into the building a central patio (the Patio
Principal) adorned with azulejos (colourful ceramic tiles) and antique
sculptures. In its corners are three Roman statues, and a Greek statue
of Athena, dating from the 5th century BC. Various rooms which can be
seen here, with a number of antiquities on display and leading off the
Patio Principal, include the Salón del Pretorio, the Corredor de
Zaquizamí, the Salón de Descanso de los Jueces, and a rib-vaulted Gothic
chapel. Also, a tiled staircase leads to the upper floor, where further
rooms are filled with family portraits, furniture and antiques.)
⑤ Hospital de los Venerables (A home for elderly priests located in the
heart of Barrio de Santa Cruz. It was begun in 1675 and completed about
20 years later by Leonardo de Figueroa, and more recently was restored
as a cultural centre, which includes exhibition galleries and the fine
Baroque Hospital church (guided tour available) – not to be missed here
is the sacristy ceiling’s trompe l’oeil depicting The
Triumph of the Cross by Juan de Valdés Leal.)
⑥ Museo del Baile Flamenco (Museum of Flamenco Dance. On Calle de Manuel
Rojas Marcos, Barrio de Santa Cruz, this museum celebrates the tradition
of flamenco with exhibits on all aspects of the art; dancing, singing,
and guitar.)
⑦ Iglesia del Divino Salvador (Also in Barrio de Santa Cruz and dating
from 1679, this former mosque is now a Baroque Roman Catholic church and
has an elaborate altar and a soaring nave. It is a six-minute walk from
the cathedral and normally included with the cathedral entrance ticket,
which can also be purchased here.)
⑧ Palacio de la Condesa de Lebrija (Palace of the Countess of Lebrija,
in the northwest of the central quarter of Barrio de Santa Cruz, is a
house-museum dating from the 16th-century and remodelled between the
18th and 20th centuries. On display here is a collection of art,
including Roman mosaics and other antiquities, as well as paintings by
European masters, European decorative arts, and Asian art; all housed
within a richly-decorated aristocratic Sevillian mansion.)
⑨ Torre del Oro (the Tower of Gold formed part of the walled defences,
linking up with the Reales Alcázares. It was built as a defensive
lookout in 1220 by the Río Guadalquivir, with a companion tower on the
opposite bank. Throughout its history, the tower has had different uses,
including for defence, as a gunpowder store, a chapel, a prison, and as
port offices. Today, it houses the Museo Marítimo (Naval Museum). The
Torre del Oro is in the south of the El Arenal quarter, a district of
the city which it would have guarded. El Arenal used to be an area
containing munitions stores and shipyards, and is bounded by the Río
Guadalquivir on its southwestern side and Barrio de Santa Cruz on its
eastern side.
⑩ Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza (This splendid white bullring
dominates the El Arenal quarter of Seville. Built from 1761-1881, it is
not only the city’s most famous bullring, but also considered the most
magnificent in Spain. Its arcaded arena can hold some 14,000 spectators
and corridas have been staged here for more than two centuries.
There is also a Bullfighting Museum here, which contains portraits,
posters and costumes, including a purple cape painted by Pablo Picasso.
Next door to the Plaza de Toros is the modern Teatro de la Maestranza,
Seville’s opera house and theatre.
⑪ Museo de Bellas Artes (The Museum of Fine Arts is located in the
restored Convento de la Merced Calzada, in the northern part of the El
Arenal quarter. The building was completed in 1612 and is designed
around three patios, with the Patio Mayor being the largest. The convent
church is noted for its Baroque domed ceiling. The collection of Spanish
art and sculpture in the Museum of Fine Arts focuses on works from
medieval to the modern era, in particular from Seville School artists.
It is considered to have the best collection of painting in the country,
after the Prado in Madrid.
⑫ Iglesia de la Magdalena (A large Baroque church in El Arenal by
Leonardo de Figueroa and completed in 1709. It was constructed above a
medieval church built after the Christian conquest of the city in 1248.
Of note here are the three-portal façade, the buildings interior
decoration, and a fine collection of various artworks)
⑬ Hospital de la Caridad (a baroque charity hospital building in El
Arenal. It was founded in 1674, and still cares for the aged and
infirm.)
⑭ Basílica de la Macarena (Away from the heart of the city, the Basilica
of Santa María de la Esperanza Macarena is a Catholic temple located at
Calle Bécquer in the La Macarena neighbourhood. The basilica was built
in 1949 and is the headquarters of the Brotherhood of La Esperanza
Macarena. A Catholic church, it is famous for housing The Virgin of
Hope, a revered jewel-encrusted wooden statue. The church here butts on
to the 13th-century Iglesia de San Gil, where the image was housed until
a fire in 1936.)
⑮ Convento de Santa Paula (Otherwise known as Monasterio de Santa Paula
and located northeast of the heart of the city, this is a 15th-century
convent known for its sacred-art collection which is on show here in a
museum in two galleries. The convent was founded by Doña Ana de
Santillan in 1473 for the Jerónimas (Hieronymite) nuns. The church was
built between 1483 and 1489. Today, the community of nuns here come from
a number of continents and they are known for the sweets, marmalade, and
jams that are made here from a special recipe which has been perfected
over time. Products made by the nuns can be purchased in the shop.)
⑯ Parque de María Luisa and Plaza de España (The area south of the city
centre is dominated by the extensive Parque María Luisa. A large area of
the park originally formed the grounds of the Baroque Palacio de San
Telmo (1682) and many buildings within the park were built for the
Ibero-American Exposition of 1929. Princess Maria Luisa, who gave her
name to the park, donated a chunk of the grounds of the Palacio de San
Telmo to the city in 1893. In preparation for the Exposition, the park
was landscaped by Jean Forestier, who was director of the famous Bois de
Boulogne in Paris. The legacies of this grand Exposition which can be
seen today are the not-to-be-missed Seville highlight of Plaza de
España, decorated with scenes from Spain’s regions on detailed ceramic
tiles, and the Plaza de América. Both plazas are the work of Aníbal
González. On the Plaza de América, in the Mudéjar Pavilion (Pabellón
Mudéjar), is the Museum of Arts and Popular Customs (Museo de Artes y
Costumbres Populares). Inside the museum are displays on traditional
Andalusian folk arts. The Neo-Renaissance Pabellón de las Bellas Artes
built for the Exposition now contains the provincial Museo Arqueológico
(Archaeological Museum of Seville). Items on display here are from
various times and places, including the early Palaeolithic period,
Phoenician, Greek, and Roman times (the latter being statues and
fragments discovered at the nearby archaeological site at Itálica), as
well as Moorish and Mudéjar artefacts from the Middle Ages. With plenty
of paths, statues and water features, the park here is truly a place to
spend some time. [See photos 17-30, above]
⑰ Universidad (Located just south of the Royal Alcázars and north of
Parque de María Luisa, is a site forming part of Seville University.
Here is the former Real Fábrica de Tabacos (Royal Tobacco Factory).
During the 1800’s, ¾ of Europe’s cigars were manufactured here, rolled
by some 10,000 female cigar makers. It was these cigarreras, as
they were known as, who inspired French author Prosper Mérimée to create
his infamous Romani heroine Carmen, for his 1845 novella of the same
name. Carmen has been adapted into a number of dramatic works,
famously including the opera by Georges Bizet. The factory complex was
built in 1728-71 and is Spain’s second-largest building, after El
Escorial, just outside Madrid.
⑱ Barrio de Triana (Located across the Río Guadalquivir from El Arenal,
this historic quarter was named after the Roman emperor Trajan. Once
Seville’s gypsy quarter, it remains a traditional working-class
district, and has an atmosphere seemingly independent from the Seville
seen on the other side of the river. Like Barrio de Santa Cruz, it is a
compact maze of narrow streets, alleyways, and squares, but it is
distinctively different in character. For centuries, this part of the
city has been famous for its potteries, as well as its Romani (Gypsy)
community. Here, shops may be found selling authentic Andalusian
ceramics. The area also boasts a number of riverfront restaurants, many
of which have outdoor terraces overlooking the historic monuments of
Seville.)
⑲ Isla de la Cartuja (Located across the river and north of the city
centre, this was the site of Expo ’92 and since then, large-scale
redevelopment has been transforming it into an area known for its
exhibition halls, museums and leisure activities. Located here is the
Isla Mágica theme park, with its roller coasters and water slides. At
the heart of Isla de la Cartuja is the 15th-century Carthusian
monastery, Monasterio de Santa Maria de las Cuevas, where monks lived
until 1836. Columbus stayed and worked here and his body was kept in the
crypt of its church between 1507-42. The monastery was restored for Expo
’92. Nearby, the Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo displays modern
artwork by Andalusian and Spanish artists, as well as by international
artists, such as Louise Bourgeois. Furthermore, Isla de la Cartuja is a
host to a number of live music venues which appeal to young
professionals and university students alike.)
Also worth mentioning here is Seville’s Fiestas: The April Fair takes place two weeks after Easter; life in the city moves over the river to the fairground, where there is plenty of drinking and bullfights in the afternoons. Santa Semana (Holy Week Festival) takes place March/April when between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, over 100 gilded floats bearing religious images, known as pasos, parade through the city streets – a spectacular sight. In May/June during the Feast of Corpus Christi, boys dressed in Baroque costumes dance before the cathedral’s main altar.
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