"Hispalis – Ishbilia - Sevilla" a Sevilla Travel Page by MM212

From Seville’s founding 28 centuries ago, supposedly by its earliest Iberian settlers, the Tartessians, Seville has been greatly enriched by numerous civilisations and religions. Throughout the centuries, Seville hosted Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, Visigoths, Arabs, and Moors, and after it shed its pagan past, the three major monotheistic religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, also greatly shaped the city. Then in 1248 AD, Seville became part of Catholic Spain once and for all, but it was not until the 1492 Inquisition that the city lost its Arab and Jewish citizens, along with its exemplary tolerant past. The city’s modern name originates in Ispali, as it was named in pre-Roman times, and although Julius Caesar renamed it Iulia Romula Hispalis - or simply Hispalis – the Visigoths later restored its ancient name, albeit altered as Spali. With the Arab conquest it became Ishbilia, the name from which Spanish Sevilla was eventually obtained.

Seville enjoyed several golden ages under the various Empires. This was helped by its strategic location at the end of the navigable part of the river Guadalquivir, which made an important commercial centre of this inland city. Although Seville was highly prosperous during Roman and Arab times, no period was more illustrious than the golden age after the discovery of the Americas when it gained a monopoly over trade with the New World.

After a period of decline, Seville has nowadays emerged not only as the confident capital of Andalucía, but also the heart of the region and its culture. Deeply rooted in Christianity, Seville’s strong cultural identity is also highly proud of its five centuries of Arab past. What might seem like a paradox is in fact blended harmoniously in the city's varied architectural heritage and rich art which elegantly combine Islamic, Gothic and Baroque traditions to form a distinct artistic expression. The city's inhabitants are also undeniably mixed with North Africans, creating an attractive population different from the rest of Europe.

In late February and early March 2005, I spent four days in Seville as part of my first tour of Andalucía. Unfortunately, it rained continuously for three and a half of the four days I was there. A silver lining and a patch of blue skies only appeared two hours before I had to head for the airport! For this reason, you will not see that deep blue Andalusian sky in any of my photos. I have promised myself to return one of those years in warmer, drier months.

Andalucía itinerary in February 2005:

Sevilla - Granada - Málaga - Córdoba - Sevilla