Sevilla Things to Do Tips by Aitana

Plaza de España Plaza de España Review

Plaza de España was built for the Iberoamerican Exhibition of 1929.
The plaza is semicircular. A semicircular pond of 200 m diameter is surrounded by the Spanish pavilion, also semicircular.

The pavilion was built by Aníbal González, the most famous architect in Seville in that period. Gothic and Renaissance styles are combined.The main elements are the bricks and the ceramic covering. There are two slender towers on the edges of the building.

In the front of the building, all the provinces of Spain are represented in alphabetical order. Each one has a space, delimited by benches, where a panel made of tiles displays a representative landmark of the history or the folklore of the province.

Address: Parque de María Luisa

Directions: East bank of the Guadalquivir, south of the Cathedral

Fábrica de Tabacos Fábrica Real de Tabaccos Review

The Spanish encountered the tobacco plant almost immediately upon their first arrival in the Americas in 1492. The city of Seville, home to the Casa de Contratación (The House of Trade), held a monopoly on commerce with the Americas. At the beginning of the 16th century the first tobacco manufacturers established themselves in Seville, the first anywhere in Europe. Initially, they were dispersed through the city, but were eventually concentrated in one place—facing the Church of Saint Peter—for sanitary reasons and to facilitate state control of the activity.

In the 18th century, the royal government decided to build the present large building immediately outside the city walls. This was the largest factory built in Europe in that period.

Now it is the seat of the University of Seville.

Address: c/ San Fernando

Phone: 95 455 10 00

Jardines del Alcázar Alcazar Review

I had the opportunity to visit the Gardens in the evening, after visiting the palaces.
The gardens are divided into two by a rocaille wall. They give protection from the harshness of the outside world. There are palm, cypress, myrtle, mulberries, magnolia, orange and lemon trees.

Jardines de Mercurio are located at the height of the palace and thus higher than the rest of the gardens. There is a large pond dominated by the figure of the god Mercury. In the background is the Galería del Grutesco, built on a part of the Almohad wall, which was transformed into a viewpoint in 1612, being the most Mannerist element of the Alcázar. Reddish like marble murals with painted figures, mythological tales and exotic birds, made in the seventeenth century. The gallery is crowned at the top like a little castle battlements. Facing the pond remains a fountain with a hydraulic organ from the XVII century.

Jardín de la danza o de las Damas is a rectangular space divided into three sections, from which you access the so-called "Bath of Doña María de Padilla", a large pond with ribbed arches at the top. At a higher level are two columns that once were topped with sculptures of mythological characters, representing a satyr and a nymph dancing. In the lower part features a fountain dating from the sixteenth century, decorated with tiles.

Jardín de Troya, adjoining the palace area, has Almohad origin, present in details such as the intimacy provided by the walls that separate the garden from the ladies, the musicality of the sources and the fragrance of herbs. The central source consists of a basin of the tenth century. A rustic gallery closes the garden.

Jardines del Príncipe are the oldest ones. Prince Juan, son of the Catholic Monarchs, was born in a room near this garden. Palm, cypress, magnolia, pomegranate, orange and other shrubs are all irregularly distributed. Highlights the Neptune Fountain.

Jardín de la Alcubilla (Garden of the Reservoir): This garden existed during the time of Charles V.

Jardín Inglés (English gardens) was built in 1909 following the models of the British gardens of the 18th century. The main gardener of the Real Casa de Campo, Juan Gras, was put in charge of planting the flowers.

The Labyrinth and a fine pavilion were built in the time of Carlos V (1543) in Renaissance style.

Jardín del Marqués de la Vega Inclán is a well designed garden inspired by the Damas Garden. This garden consists of 20 mostly square flower beds that are separated by paths and fountains. These gardens took their inspiration from Islamic culture and the Renaissance.

Jardín de los Poetas (The Garden of the Poets). It's most emblematic feature is the two ponds that were inspired by the Arabs and Romans.

Other gardens are Jardín de la Galera, Jardín de las Flores, Jardín del Chorrón and Jardín de la Cruz.

Address: Plaza del Triunfo

Phone: 95 450 23 23

Real Alcázar Alcazar Review

The Alcázar consists of a series of palaces built during the Arab rule. We can find different architectural styles such as Mauresque and Mudéjar. Throughout centuries some reforms have been made, so we also find Gothic and Renaissance elements. The Alcázar was declared World’s Heritage in 1987.

After the conquest of Sevilla in 1248, the Alcázar was linked to the kings of Castile, who made some reforms, being the most important one that made by Pedro I the Cruel. At present, when the Spanish Monarchs visit Sevilla, they stay at the Alcázar.

I recommend a guided visit. We entered through Patio de Banderas and start our route at Patio de la Montería. From there, we entered in the Cuarto del Almirante, which was just a part of the House of Trade or Casa de Contratación, built in 1503 by the Catholic Monarchs to regulate trade with the New World colonies. In the first room there are some relevant paintings. In the Sala de Audiencias, later transformed into a chapel, outstands the Retable of the Virgen de los Mareantes ( 1531– 1536).

Again at the Patio de la Montería, the façade of the Palacio Mudéjar is worth seeing. In this palace we find the most beautiful constructions, outstanding Patio de las Doncellas (the Courtyard of the Maidens), Salón de Embajadores, Salón del Techo de Carlos V and Patio de las Muñecas.

The Palacio Gótico was ordered to be built by Alfonso X in 1254. The Sala Gótica and Salón de los Tapices are two of the halls of this palace.

Opening hours:
From October to March:
Tuesdays to Saturdays from 9:30 to 17:00 hours.
Sundays and Holidays from 9:30 to 13:30 hours.
From April to September:
Tuesdays to Saturdays from 9:30 to 19:00 hours.
Sundays and Holidays from 9:30 to 17:00 hours.
Entrance fee: 5 €.
Free entrance for students, pensioners, disabled and those who were born or are currently living in Seville.

Address: Plaza del Triunfo

Phone: 95 450 23 23

Website: http://www.patronato-alcazarsevilla.es/

Plaza de América Parque de María Luisa Review

Plaza de América, located in Parque de María Luisa, was also site of the Iberoamerican Exhibition of 1929.
Some pavilions were built in the park by Aníbal González:
Pabellón Real (Royal Pavilion), inspired in the Gothic style (pic 1).
Pabellón de Bellas Artes (Fine Arts Pavilion). Today it houses the Provincial Archaeological Museum (pics 2 & 3).
Pabellón Mudéjar, which houses now the Museum of Arts and Traditions (Museo de Artes y Costumbres Populares) (pic 4).
There are also other pavilions along the Paseo de las Delicias.

Parque de María Luisa Parque de María Luisa Review

This park was donated to the city by Infanta María Luisa* in 1893. The terrain was part of the private garden of Palacio de San Telmo.
The park has an extension of 400,000 m2. Luxuriant vegetation and intimate arbors make a very pleasant place to walk.
The park was site of the Iberoamerican Exhibition of 1929. Plaza de España and Plaza de América are part of the park and were also sites of the Exhibition.

*Infanta Maria Luisa Fernanda de Orleans, Duchess of Montpensier, was the youngest daughter of Fernando VII and Maria Cristina de Borbón-Dos Sicilias. Her sister was Queen Isabel II. María Luisa married Antonio de Orleans, duke of Montpensier and son of King Louis Philippe of France. Antonio was elevated to the rank of Infante de España.

Giralda Giralda Review

The Giralda is the minaret of the ancient Almohad Mosque. The slender body is made on brick in Almohad style. In 1568 Hernán Ruiz added the bell tower, crowned by a statue of Faith in the shape of a woman with classic Roman cloth, holding in her hands a shield and a palm. This figure is known as el giraldillo.

The way up consists of ramps instead of stairs, since the muezzin used to go up riding a mule five times a day to call to prayer. On top of the tower there are excellent views of the city.

Address: Avenida de la Constitución

Phone: 95 421 49 71

Cathedral Cathedral Review

The great Cathedral of Santa Maria de la Sede de Sevilla is the largest gothic cathedral in Europe. The construction began in 1401 and ended in 1506. The Almohad mosque that had been used as a church since 1248 was demolished, but the Almohad tower, the Giralda, was preserved.

The cathedral is the third largest church in the Christian world, after Saint Peter in Rome and Saint Paul in London, thus the second largest of the Catholic churches. When it was built, it was the largest cathedral, supplanting Saint Sophia in Istanbul, which had held the title for more than ten centuries.

Its first architect could be Charles Galter of Rouen and the design is influenced by French models. The seven naves, its high altitude (44 meters on the nave) and its nearly 100 windows are impressive. It is a building stepped outwardly supported in many buttresses topped by pinnacles.

The choir occupies the central portion of the nave. In front of it, there is a vast Gothic altarpiece of carved scenes from the life of Christ.

The Iglesia del Sagrario (Tabernacle church) is a temple integrated in the cathedral, on the left side. The Chapterhouse, the Main Sacristy or the Sacristy of Chalices keep some pieces of art worth to be seen. There are paintings of Murillo and Zurbarán, as well as works of gold and silver religious objects, reliquaries, and a magnificent Monstrance by Juan de Arfe.

The Tablas Alfonsíes are also kept in the cathedral: a book which contains a series of astronomic tables that provided data for computing the position of the Sun, Moon and planets relative to the fixed stars. They were prepared in Toledo around 1252 to 1270, based on observations by Islamic astronomers and on earlier astronomical works preserved by Islamic scholars. Alfonso X the Wise, son of Fernando III, ordered the elaboration of these tables.

The Seville Cathedral is the burial site of Chistopher Columbus, the famous navigator who discovered America in 1492, sponsored by the Spanish Catholic Monarchs. His mausoleum is on the right side of the crossing. The mausoleum is made in bronze and it represents Columbus’ coffin borne by heralds of the four kingdoms that constituted Spain: Castile, Leon, Aragon and Navarre.

The remains of King Fernando III de Castilla (1199-1252) are in the Royal Chapel, in a silver coffin at the foot of the image of Virgen de los Reyes. Seville was conquered under the rule of Fernando III in 1248. In 1671 and the king was canonized by Pope Clement X, known from then on as San Fernando or Fernando III el Santo.

The west façade there are three porticoes: Portada del Bautismo, Portada de la Asunción and Portada de San Miguel o del Nacimiento. On the south façade is the Puerta de San Cristóbal o del Príncipe. In the north façade, Puerta del Perdón (Portico of Forgiveness) gives access to the Patio de los Naranjos. Puerta de la Concepción (Portico of Conception) and Puerta del Lagarto connect this patio with the nave. There are two porticoes on the east façade: Puerta de Campanillas and Puerta de Palos.

The Patio de los Naranjos and Giralda are the only remains of the old Mosque.

Opening hours: daily from 11:00 to 17:00 hours.
Sundays from 14:30 to 18:00 hours.
Entrance fee: 7,50 €.

Address: Avenida de la Constitución

Phone: 95 421 49 71