Seville

No other city in Spain has had so much romantic imagery attached to it. In the 12th century Seville was a rich Moorish capital, in the 16th century a gold laden port and in following centuries Don Juan, Carmen and Figaro all put Seville on the map. Flamenco is alleged to have started here (the city still has a Gypsy quarter across the river in Triana), its bullring is one of Spain's oldest, and modem Seville maintains old traditions with the solemnity of its Semana Santa (Holy Week) and the exuberance of its vast April Fair. Today's Seville is also Andalusia's biggest city, with an exciting metropolitan buzz.

Unemployment is high, petty crime is appalling, the drivers are the maddest in Spain, and you can cruise round trendy clubs and bars till dawn. You can also, however, still stroll through narrow whitewashed streets and smell orange and jasmine in the air. The city's sights are enticing: a Moorish minaret, the Mudejar alcazar which in parts is as beautiful as the Alhambra and the largest Gothic church in the world (Christopher Columbus is buried in it). Lesser monuments include the tobacco factory in which Carmen worked and the hospital for the poor founded by Seville's original (and reformed) Don Juan.

Seville Hotels

Apartamentos Murillo - C/ Reinoso 6 Seville 41004 Spain
Silken Al-Andalus Palace Hotel - Avenida de La Palmera S/N Seville 43012 Spain
Hotel Amadeus - Calle Farnesio 6 Barrio de Santa Cruz Seville 41004 Spain
Hotel Puerta de Sevilla - C/ Santa María La Blanca, 36 (Puerta de la Carne) Seville 41004 Spain
Hotel Alcantara - C/ Ximenez de Enciso, 28 Santa Cruz Seville 41004 Spain
Alfonso XIII Hotel - Calle San Fernando 2 Seville 41004 Spain
Alminar Hotel - Alvarez Quintero 52 Seville 41004 Spain
Becquer Hotel - Calle de los Reyes Catolicos 4 Seville 41001 Spain
Occidental Sevilla - Avenida Kansas City S/N Seville 41018 Spain
Hacienda La Boticaria Hotel - Carretera Alcalá -- Utrera Km.2 Alcala de Guadaira Seville 41500 Spain
Corregidor Hotel - Calle Morgado 17 Esq. Amor de Dios 36 Seville 41003 Spain
Las Navezuelas - Ctra. A-432 Km 43, A.P. 14 Cazalla de la Sierra Seville 41470 Spain

Getting Your Bearings

The focal point in Seville is the massive cathedral and the Giralda tower, and you will find almotst everything that is interesting to see clustered in the immediate vicinity. Nearby is the charming network of narrow streets of the Barrio de Santa Cruz. Next to the cathedral, the city is bisected by the main thoroughfare, the Avenida de la Constitucion, which becomes the pedestrianized shopping street Calle Sierpes beyond the central Plaza Nueva. The river Guadalquivir also runs through the city, parallel to Avenida de la Constitucion, and is lined by the riverside walkway, the Paseo de Colon. On the other side of the river is the traditional Barrio de Triana and the more modern Los Remedios district. The main railway station (Estacion de Cordoba) is situated in the north of the city and the smaller Estacion de Cadiz is near the Maria Luisa park in the south.

Seville Attractions

The Giralda

You can see the Giralda from almost all over Seville. The exotic former Moorish minaret towers over the city as if still intending to call people to prayer. It is the only remaining part of the mosque and for the last 400 years has stood incongruously next to Seville's huge Gothic cathedral. The Christians added its belfry but none of its exoticism has been lost the delicate brickwork and horseshoe arches are still in excellent condition. Climb up to the top (it has ramps instead of steps so going up is easy) for beautiful views of Seville.

Originally the minaret attached to the mosque, it was built in 1184 by the Almohads of Roman stones brought from Italica and is 98 metres high. There are no steps inside but a series of 35 slightly inclined ramps built so men on horseback could ascend it lead to the top.

Externally, the tower is divided into three distinct sections. The central part, with lattice brickwork and Moorish horseshoe windows and arches, is the most delicate. The lower section, with its austere stonework, is more characteristic of the Almohads. It was originally topped by four golden apples but these were destroyed in an earthquake.

In 1568 the present top five Storey, composing the belfry, were added. Twenty four bells were placed inside and a revolving bronze statue of Faith (the Giraldillo, which acts as a weather vane and from which the Giralda takes its name). The original Giraldillo now stands in the cathedral having been replaced by a less valuable replica. The Sala Capitular, or chapterhouse, has a Baroque elliptical ceiling and contains paintings by Murillo.

The Sacristia Mayor houses the treasury among whose relics are Ferdinand's sword, a gruesome head supposedly of John the Baptist, and the tablas Alfonsinas a box which accompanied Alfonso into battle and which contains such goodies as ancient bits of tooth and bone. The Gothic Sacristia de los Calices contains more Murillos and a Goya.

Around the cathedral, the dark side chapels contain works of art, including another Murillo in the Capilla de San Antonio and a Zurbaran altarpiece in the Capilla de San Pedro.

On the south side is the tomb of Christopher Columbus, whose body did almost as much travelling dead as it did when he was alive. After his death in Spain, his remains were taken to what is now the Dominican Republic, where they stayed until they went to Cuba. Here they rested at Havana Cathedral (some believe his real remains are still there) before being brought back to Spain at the turn of the century when Cuba became independent. His tomb is carried by four nobles representing the kingdoms of Spain Leon, Castile, Aragon and Navarre. One carries a cross piercing a pomegranate, representing the Christian Reconquest (a pomegranate is the symbol of Granada), and an oar represents Columbus's journeys. His son Fernando is also buried in the cathedral near the main portal.

The Patio de los Naranjos is, with the Giralda, the only surviving part of the mosque. Some of the original Almohad outer walls and horsehoe shaped arches remain. The fountain dates from Visigothic times. The Puerta del Lagarto is named after the crocodile hanging from the ceiling a gift to Alfonso from the sultan of Egypt when he asked for the hand of the infanta. The present one is wooden but the original in 1260 was stuffed. The tusk hanging next to it is supposed to have come from the Roman ruins at Italica. On the east side of the patio is the Biblioteca Colombina (being restored in 1991) containing manuscripts, books and prints, which were a legacy from Columbus's son.

The Alcazar (Reales Alcazares)

Admission from the Plaza del Triumfo via the Puerta del Lion. Save time queueing by having change for the ticket machines inside.) With its decorative detail based on the Alhambra in Granada, the Seville alcazar is the most important piece of Mudejar architecture in Spain. It might not have the romance attached to the Alhambra but it was built at the same time and by artisans lent from Granada who copied much of the artwork from its more famous model. Used as a royal palace right up to the present day, it is in near perfect condition and has beautiful, extensive gardens.

Built for Pedro the Cruel in 1366, it succeeded the much bigger citadel and palace (built in the 11th century by the Almohads probably on the site of a Roman praetorium) and subsequently underwent various alterations and extensions by later monarchs.

Go through a series of ivy clad patios, separated by the original arched Moorish walls, to reach the inner courtyard with the main facade of the 14th century palace in front, and the later Renaissance additions on either side. To the right stands the Cuarto del Almirante (also known as the Casa de Contratacion or Casa del Oceano) which was commissioned by Isabella in 1503 to house the administrative offices for Spain's overseas affairs. The chapel has a model of one of Columbus's ships, the Santa Maria, and a painting known as "La Virgen de los Marinos" or "the Madonna of the Navigators" (Columbus is supposed to be the one on the right at the feet of the Virgin). Temporary exhibitions and Flemish tapestries are on display in the other rooms. Outside, an azulejoed staircase leads up to the royal apartments on the first floor (close) in 1991 but may reopen).

At far end of the inner courtyard in Pedro the Cruel's Palace. The narrow facade of the Puerta Principal is richly decorated with Moorish arches and arabesques. Above there is a protective wooden overhang and a Kufic inscription from the Koran stating, "There is no victor but God." The vestibule inside leads left into the central Patio de las Doncellas (Courtyard of the Maidens/or Maids of Honour), decorated with tiles, stucco work, paired columns and arches. An upper storey was added in the 16th century.

Across the courtyard is the most elaborate room of the palace, the Sala de Embajadores (Ambassadors' Hall), whose wealth of decoration rivals anything in the Alhambra. It has a magnificent cedarwood domed ceiling. The balconies and the frieze of royal portraits were added by Charles V, who married Isabella of Portugal here in 1526. Horseshoe arches lead off into the adjacent rooms: a long dining room, the apartments of Maria de Padilla (Pedro's infamous mistress), and Philip Il's salon. The salon leads into the exquisitely diminutive Patio de las Munecas (Dolls' Court), named after two tiny faces hidden in the carving. The columns come from the Roman ruins at Italica and some of the capitals from Cordoba and Medina Azahara, but again the upper storey are much later (19th century) additions. Leading on to the patio are the bedrooms of Isabella and her son Juan (who was born here). Nearby is the Dormitorio de los Reyes Moros.

On the far side of the central patio we find the salon of Charles V (his motto "Plus ultra" is inlaid in the floors) and the apartments of Maria de Padilla. According to popular local legend, Maria was known as the "Queen of the Gypsies" and was accused of having bewitched King Don Pedro by giving his unfortunate queen Blanche de Bourbon a gold girdle which looked like a live snake to the eyes of the king.

Leave the alcazar and pass through Charles V's Palace with its tapestries and chapel to the beautiful gardens, which descend in terraces, interlaced with walkways, hedges, orange groves, palm trees, fountains and pavilions.

The Casa Lonja and Archive of the Indies

The Lonja is the old Exchange originally built for Seville's Golden Age merchants; today it houses the Archive of the Indies. You'll find it tucked between the cathedral and the alcazar. Although the city had always been an important port, its heyday came after the discovery of the New World. Booty laden galleons sailed into the city attracting merchants from all over Europe, who conducted their transactions in this building. Now, all the documents and drawings collected by the crown during the Age of Exploration are here and, as well as the first ever maps of the Americas, there are letters and log books bearing signatures of Magellan and Cortes and even a diary kept by Columbus.

Before the construction of the Lonja, all business was conducted in the cathedral's Patio de los Naranjos. Not surprisingly this upset the bishop, who petitioned Philip II to build them an exchange elsewhere. Juan de Herrera, who at the time was busy on El Escorial, got the job and the Lonja, with its severe facade and stone balls on top, has similarities to his more famous work. By the late 18th century, with the decline of the American trade, Seville was less commercially important so Charles III converted the Lonja to house the Archive of the Indies.

Barrio Santa Cruz

A maze of narrow whitewashed streets with pretty flowerbedecked patios lies right beside the alcazar. This is the quintessential romantic heart of the city. Some houses still have iron grilles on their windows through which young men used to serenade their sweethearts. Until 1492 it was the Jewish quarter of Moorish Seville. Today there are plenty of attractive bars, hostales and restaurants, and the presence of tourists is not excessive. Among attractive squares to look out for are Plaza de Dona Elvira (where theatrical performances used to take place) and Plaza de las Cruces (which con:ains three crosses, including a 17th century one in wrought iron). Among the alleyways are the Callejon de Agua (with its pretty inner courtyards) and the Calle de Marmoles (which contains three marble Roman columns).

Fabrica de Tabacos

The former state tobacco factory, built in 1757, which today houses parts of Seville University is a huge edifice standing just South of the Alcazar gardens, on the other side of Calle San Fernando. It's the second largest building in Spain after El Escorial. At its peak, the factory employed over 10,000 women and produced three quarters of Europe's cigars. It was so huge that it had over 100 courtyards and was divided into residential and industrial zones. Its most famous cigarrera was Carmen, the Triana Gypsy heroine of Prosper Merimee's novel and George Bizet's opera. Alexander Dumas was just one of several 19th century visitors:

It is amazing to see its pretty young work girls all smoking in the street like veterans or chewing tobacco like old sailors ... They are allowed to use as much tobacco as they like in working hours, and if some also finds its way into their pockets that may explain why no cigarrera is ever without her escort of a young subaltern or handsome officer of the merchant navy.

Maria Luisa Park and the Plaza de Espana

The beautiful gardens of Maria Luisa Park, stretching south beyond the university, were laid out in 1929 for a SpanishAmerican trade fair. Dozens of pavilions were erected and the Plaza de Espana with its towering twin spires and semicircular colonnade was designed to be the fair's focal point. Unfortunately world economic depression meant the fair wasn't successful but today the park, with its beautiful subtropical gardens, is the perfect city escape. You can hire boats on the moat of the Plaza de Espana, which is crossed by pretty blue tiled bridges. The 58 azulejo scenes around the pavilion represent historical scenes from all the provinces in Spain.

The Hospital de la Caridad

The real life model for the original Don Juan is supposed to have commissioned this hospital for the sick and the poor, which stands between the Giralda and the river. After a life of indulgence, and the death of his wife, Don Manuel de Manara joined the Caridad Brotherhood a charity fraternity which provided Christian burial for executed criminals. In 1661 he commissioned the Hospital de la Caridad as a place of refuge, which took in the sick and the poor. He spent the rest of his life running it. The facade of the chapel is decorated with beautiful azulejos (said to have been designed by Murillo, a friend of Manara) representing Faith, Hope, Love, St George and St Roch. Inside are Manara's tomb, paintings by Murillo on the theme of mercy, and two by Valdes Leal on the theme of death. One is particularly gory and shows a bishop's body being eaten by worms.

The Torre del Oro

There are two theories of how the waterside Torre del Oro literally, Tower of Gold got its name. The first is that it came from the tiles of pure gold that allegedly covered the exterior. The second is that it was a repository for gold brought back from the New World. Whatever the 12 sided tower's former glory, today it houses a small maritime museum and stands like a lost castle turret stranded on the banks of the Guadalquivir.

Like the Giralda, the Torre del Oro is a landmark of Seville. It was built in 1220 by the Almohades to protect the river, and was connected to the old alcazar. It was also connected, by a chain, to another tower on the other side of the river. This would be stretched across if Christian boats tried to attack.

The Bullring

(M. de Toros), Seville's famous bullring, the Maestranza, is further up Paseo de Cristobal Colon, set back from the river Guadalquivir close to the Triana bridge. It dates from the mid 18th century and is one of the oldest in Spain. Bullfights are held every Sunday from April to October and throughout the April Feria. In Bizet's opera, Carmen was murdered here and opposite the bullring a statue of her stands by the river.

Triana Quarter

Across the Guadalquivir, the old port area on the west side of the river is the traditional working class and Gypsy barrio and therefore home of Seville's flamenco artists and bullfighters. There is a statue of Belmonte, one of Seville's most illustrious toreros, near Triana bridge. It is also the traditional pottery area Ceramica Santa Ana is the oldest in the citys. Its original name, Trajana, is Roman and came from the emperor Trajan. Calle Betis, which runs along the river, is a good bet for nightclubs and restaurants.

Museo de Bellas Artes

The former Convento del Merced, built in the early 17th century around a beautiful cloister, now houses an excellent collection of mainly Spanish art. There are 20 rooms of paintings from the 13th 20th centuries, including works by Velazquez, Goya and El Greco, and some of the best Murillos and Zurbardas.

The Alameda de Hercules

This promenade in the north of the city was a swamp until the land was reclaimed in the 16th century. At each end are two columns. Those on the south side represent Hercules and Caesar, the legendary founders of the city. "Me Alameda leads you to the edges of La Macarena.

Casa de Pilatos

According to local myth, Don Fadrique, 1st Marquis of Tarifa, returned from Jerusalem in 1519 with sketches of Pontius Pilate's house and had his own version built in Seville. It is an interesting mix of Gothic, Mudejar and Renaissance styles. The house is on two floors and, rather cheekily, they make you buy a ticket for each one. If time and money are limited, stick to the ground floor the exquisite patios are scattered with Roman statues and busts and the azulejo decorations are beautiful, Upstairs you're not trusted to walk round the interior rooms alone and must wait to be shown round in a group.

The Archaeological Museum

This excellent museum down in the southern part of the city, at the far end of Parque de Maria Luisa, portrays the full history of the region from 4,000 year old Palaeolithic pendants to modern flamenco dresses. There are wonderful Roman mosaics and statues from Italica.

La Macarena Quarter

In the working class, northern section of the city you will find a large strectch of the original Moorish walls and next to the Macarena gate a church housing the famous statue of the same name the Virgin of Macarena. Known as the Virgin of the Sorrows because of the glass tears on her cheeks, this is one of the symbols of Seville and star of the Semana Santa processions. No one is sure of her origins but legend has it that Macarena was an Arab princess. During the Semana Santa, she competes with her two main rivals for popularity the Jesus del Gran Poder (sculpted by Juan de Mesa in 1620, it stands in its basilica on the Plaza de San Lorenzo) and the Virgin known as the Esperanza de Triana (in a chapel on called Pureza in the Triana quarter). Both Virgins have been adopted by bullfighters as patron saints.