Seville is a city steeped in history
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It's easy
to be fooled into thinking this is a Moorish palace, some
of the rooms and courtyards seem to come straight from the
Alhambra.
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This is
the first barrio (area or neighbourhood) tourists head for,
and with good reason.
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Called
the House of Pilate because it was thought to resemble Pontius
Pilate's home in Jerusalem.
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Seville's
Cathedral occupies the site of a great mosque in the late
12th century.
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As you
arrive in the city, look out for remnants of ancient stone
walls marooned in the centre of busy roads.
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The cathedral's
minaret was the culmination of Almohad architecture and served
as a model for those at their imperial capitals of Rabat and
Marrakesh.
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Seville is a city steeped
in history. Throughout the narrow streets and main avenues - in
fact, virtually everywhere you cast your eye, there are magnificent
monuments and buildings which stand as a legacy to this city's fascinating
heritage. Many of these date from the time of the Moorish conquest
(712), such as the Giralda, the Alcazar,
and the Cathedral which was originally
built as a mosque by the Almohads in the late 12th century, and
later became the largest Gothic church in the world.
One of the richest areas of the city, in terms of
the sheer number of monuments, is the Barrio
Santa Cruz which is very much in character with Seville's romantic
image, its streets narrow and torturous to keep out the sun, with
houses brilliantly whitewashed and barricaded with iron grilles
behind which girls once kept chaste evening rendezvous with their
novios. Almost all the houses have patios, often surprisingly large
and in summer these become the principal family living room.
Near here is the Plaza
de España, designed as the centrepiece of the Spanish
Americas fair, and on the edge of the beautiful Maria
Luisa Park.
On a much smaller scale are the tranquil gardens
of the Casa de Pilatos which, despite
being built well after the Moslem period, demonstrates how long
the interest in Mudejar architecture continued.
Those interested in the history
of this graceful city will be interested in the old city
walls and gates.
Museums are, not surprisingly, well represented
in Seville, including the spectacular Museo
de Bellas Artes which is a treasure house in this city of artists
where such masters as Velazquez have founded whole styles of art
that have been very influential in the world of painting.
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