Explore Seville - Spain
The city of Seville
The city of Seville is the capital of Andalusia, it has also 719,588 inhabitants. The city is world renowned for its history, culture and monuments.The Giralda is just one of the Seville attractions, this is the odlest Arab minaret, it is the symbol of this fascinating city bathed by the river Guadalquivir. Giralda is also universally acknowledged symbol of the city and it was initially the tower of Sevilles principal mosque. It is 97 metres high and is crowned with a weather vane known as the Giraldillo, a giant bronze figure representing Faith Victorious, and which gives its name to the tower. I began my trip through the city at the Giralda, now the Christian belfry of Sevilles Cathedral. From the top you can admire beautiful view of the city and the surroundings. In the vast Gothic Cathedral, particularly notable is the main altarpiece, along with the tomb of Christopher Colubus and the Patio de los Naranjos (Courtyard of the Orange Trees), especially fragrant in springtime. Seville as a city is also an inspiration for a nuber of songwriters, painters and poets. This poetic city filled with the scent of orange blossom has and maintains its fame for its numerous cultural achievements.
On the one hand Seville is a city which transmits the values of past civilisations who left their mark on the city as seen in the world famous Giralda. On the other hand, it is a city with an incessant artistic rhythm which delights and surprises us with paintings, music, architecture and poetry.
In Seville you can see different architecturalc styles which characterise different centuries and cililisations, such as Carambola Treasure (7th century BC) right up to the latest in modern architectural tendencies as found in the buildings of Isla de la Cartuja or the bridges that join this area to the city. Seville also has sumptious and imposing buildings for example The Reales Alcazares: the royal Palace with Islamic, Mudejar, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Romantic influences.
The Cathedral of Seville
The Cathedral of Seville
occupies the site of a great mosque built in the late 12th Century and still maintains teh bell tower – giralda. In the 15th Century when the decision was made to build a new temple, the intention was »to make a church that is so huge that those who see it will think we are mad«. This was not an exaggeration as the Seville Cathedral is the largest gothic temple in the world and the third largest Christian cathedral following Saint Peters in the Vatican and Saint Pauls in London.
Old city of Seville
Torre del Oro
I recomend to see famous Torre del Oro »The golden Tower«, The Tower was one of the last contributions from the Almohad period in Seville, it formed part of the defensive wall that ran from the Alcazar to the River. It was built at the beginning of the 13th Century, the tower has twelve sides. Large chains used to be connected from the base of the tower to the other side of the river to guard teh entrance way to the port. Today it is a naval museum with engravings, letters, models, antuque navigational instruments and historical documents. The museum also has information regarding Sevilles prestigious naval history, the importance of the Guadalquivir River and the routes of various famous navigators. Then there are The town Hall »Ayuntamiento Hispalense«, The church of El Salvador »Iglesia del Salvador«, famous Flamenco dance Museum »Museo del baile Flamenco« and La Caridad Hospital and Church »Iglesia-hospital De la Caridad«,