Our Adventures in England: Seville Spain

Plaza de Espana

Keeping with our tradition we escaped from our February doldrums and this year made our way to the southern region of Spain and the welcoming city of Seville. Seville is lots of fun and was a little bit of a surprise with sites that reflect a very diverse history as the Romans, Muslims, and Christians all shaped the city. It is the capital of Andalusia and the provence of Seville, Spain. Seville was founded as the Roman city of Hispalis. It was renamed Ishvilya during the Muslim conquest of 712 and ruled as a part of the Caliphate of Cordoba. It was then incorporated into the Christian Kingdom of Castile under the rule of Ferdinand III from 1248. After the discovery of the Americas by Christopher Columbus, Saville became an important port city and vital to the Spanish Empire. In 1519 Ferdinand Magellan set sail from Seville to circle the earth, a first. In the early part of the 20th century Seville was thrust into the Spanish Civil War.

For us, a walk around in warm sunshine, great Spanish hospitality, a little local music, and some great Spanish food added up to a great experience. Just a short walk from our hotel we visited the Plaza de Espana. This was constructed in 1929 to host the Exposicion Ibero-Americana. It is a mix of architecture with lots of colorful glazed tile, a mosaic courtyard, a beautiful central fountain, and canals across its width.

Flamenco performed on the street

Door of the Prince

When in Seville a visit to the cathedral is a must. The Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See or Seville Cathedral is massive and lavishly decorated. It is the largest Gothic cathedral and the third largest church in the world. The open space of the nave is an amazing 42 meters high. Construction of the cathedral began in 1402 to demonstrate the wealth of the city and when it was completed in 1506, the Seville Cathedral moved ahead of Hagia Sophia as the largest cathedral in the world. This is also the burial site of Christopher Columbus. The building incorporates columns and other elements from an ancient mosque including the minaret which became the bell tower. An amazing feature within the cathedral is the vast Gothic retablo of carved scenes from the life of Christ, carved as the life's work of a single artist, Pierre Dancart.

The masterpiece of Pierre Dancart
his life's work and one of the finest altarpieces in the world

We spent the better part of a day visiting the beautiful and expansive Alcazar. The Alcazar is the royal palace in Saville, and it remains the residence of the Royal Family today. The palace was built by Moorish Muslim kings in 1181. It is one of the most beautiful palaces in Spain, recognized as one of the most outstanding examples of mudejar architecture on the Iberian Peninsula. This has been a frequent site for the filming of the television show Game of Thrones and, along with the Saville Cathedral, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For us this place is amazing. It seems to go on forever with one room more ornate and colorful than the one before it, joined by large gardens full of palms and citrus fruit trees of course.