Seville City Guide
The capital of Andalusia, Seville, may be remembered for its oranges, but visitors to the city will discover a variety of architecture, beautiful parks and world-class museums.
What to do and see in and around Seville
Alcazar
The Royal Palace of Alcazar is the part time home of the Spanish Royal family. The oldest inhabited Royal Palace in Europe, Alcazar dates back to the year 913 and is made up of a myriad of different architectural styles from each successive century from Islamic to gothic to rococo. The adjacent lush gardens offer a tranquil setting with an array of beautiful plants and flowers.
Cathedral
Seville’s gigantic gothic Cathedral, built on the site of the city’s former mosque, is considered to be the biggest gothic building in the world and is a registered UNESCO World Heritage site. Amongst the many treasures of this beautiful building is one of the largest altarpieces in the world. In addition to this the Cathedral is home to paintings by Murillo and Goya.
Giralda Tower
For fabulous views over the city visit the Giralda Tower. This much-replicated minaret is the remnants of Seville’s ancient Almohad mosque and stands at a height of 82 metres.
Plaza de América
Plaza de América or America Square is a relatively new addition to Seville’s landscape as it was built in 1913 for the Hispano-American Exposition of 1929. The architect Anabel Gonzalez wanted to represent a range of different architectural styles on the square, as a result Plaza de América is home to the Renaissance Pavillion, the Gothic Pavillion and the Mudejar Pavillion.
Church of San Luis
Dating back to 1699 this beautiful Baroque church with its beautifully crafted altarpieces is well worth a visit whilst in Seville. Make sure you look up when you visit the interior of the church is also very beautiful, in particular the paintings on the dome.
Museum of Fine Arts
Inaugurated in 1835, Seville’s Museum of Fine Arts is housed in a stunning Andalusian building in the Plaza del Museo. The museum is home to a large collection of works from the Sevillian school and spans from the 15th century to the 20th century covering such Sevillian masters as Francisco de Zurbarán, Murillo and Valdés Leal.
Plaza de España
Another legacy of the 1929 Exposition, Plaza de España or Spain Square is composed of brick and ceramics and is the site of 48 benches, each representing one of the Spanish provinces. This lovely square is circumvented by a small stream crossed by 4 bridges in honour of the 4 kingdoms of the Spanish crown : Castille, Leon, Navarre and Aragon.
Torre del Oro
Seville’s Torre del Oro or Gold Tower is was built in the 1200s, its original purpose being part of the Almohad defence system. Since 1944 however the Torre del Oro has housed the city’s Naval Museum. Despite the name the tower is more noticeable for its hexagonal shape than its colour, as the Tower's former golden tiles are no longer there.
Parque Maria Luisa
Covering an area of 400,000 square metres Parque Maria Luisa was donated to the people of Seville in 1893 by the Princess Maria Luisa. The Park took on its current form in 1929 when it was urbanized for the Expo. The theme of the park is that of European design with Moorish influences and it is worth devoting some time to exploring the avenues, ponds and squares of this beautiful green space.
Archaeological Museum
Located in the Renaissance Pavillion on the Plaza de América, Seville’s Archaeological Museum consists of 3 floors displaying artefacts from the prehistoric era through to the Egyptian and Roman era. Artefacts of note are 2nd century sculptures of Emperors Trajano and Adriano who were born in the area.
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