Seville

Seville was the second stop on our trip.  We arrived via high speed train from Madrid.  Seville is the capital of the Andalusia region and the 4th largest city of Spain. It is recognized by many for its flamenco dancing, bullfights and Mudejar architecture. Seville is located on the Guadalquivir River, allowing the city to thrive after Columbus' return trip to the Americas brought gold and goods through the port. Ruled by the Moors from 712-1248, the history of the Christan, Muslim and Jewish inhabitants resonates through the narrow streets of Seville.



We started our visit with a walk along the river. It was 109 degrees out, but lacked the humidity to make it unbearable. The walkway was lined with palm trees and flowered bushes. The river walk leads to the Torre del Oro, the Golden Tower, a 13th century military watchtower and prison (Upper left picture).

We also went to a Flamenco show.  Flamenco dancing is described as a highly-expressive, Spanish dance form with roots in Indian, Arabic, Spanish cultures.  The dancing can be characterized by hand clapping, percussive footwork, and intricate hand, arm and body movements. The show was lively and fun.

Once we checked into our hotel, we went to the roof to take in the views of Seville.  The tower to the left is the Giralda Tower, a former minaret that was converted to a bell tower for the Cathedral of Seville located to the right. The tower was built in the 1100s and is one of the oldest structures in Seville.

 At night, the tower and cathedral are lit, creating a beautiful ambiance in the heart of Seville.
The next day, we visited the tower and climbed up 35 ramps to the top of the 320 foot tower.  The views from the top were extraordinary.

The Seville Cathedral started as an ancient Muslim mosque which had been converted into a Christian church during the Reconquista. It was badly damaged by an earthquake in 1356 and it was decided to rebuild the church into the largest church in the world, taking over 100 years to complete.  It is today the largest Gothic cathedral and the 3rd largest church in the world. Another interesting note is that Christopher Columbus' tomb is in the Cathedral.

Inside the Cathedral is the tomb of Christopher Columbus

                                              

 The Royal Alcazar of Seville

Seville's other main attraction is the  Royal Alcazar.   Originally a Moorish fort, it is still used as a royal palace in Seville. In fact, it is the oldest royal palace still in use in Europe.

The palace is one of the best remaining examples of mudéjar architecture. "Mudejar" refers to Muslims of Al-Andalus region of Spain who remained after the Christain Reconquista but did not convert to Christianity.

The palace is full of open courtyards with many reflecting pools, gardens and intricate archways.

The symbol of the peacock is found throughout the castle, including the gardens.

The picture above is the entrance to the Hall of Peacocks.  In the tiles above the archway near the rectangular outline, 2 golden peacocks can be found.

 The tile work found in the Alcazar was beautiful.  Even the ceilings were decorated with tile or detailed woodwork like the picture below:

The gardens of the Alcazar were very large and quite impressive.  From waterfalls to maze like gardens, every corner you turned there was something to admire.

Seville is also full of gems outside of the Alcazar.  The old Jewish Quarter, known as the Barrio Santa Cruz, is a labyrinth of narrow streets and alleys dating back to the 1400s. The narrow streets were designed to provide protection from the hot sun of the Sevillian summer. Scattered through the neighborhood are several plazas or squares.

In the heart of the city, many shops and restaurants surround the Cathedral and Giralda tower. Many of the buildings have interesting architecture features that mimic the flair of the Alcazar.