Seville landmarks · Landmarks in Seville
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Landmarks in Seville
Landmarks in Seville
The Cathedral of Seville was once judged the third largest church in the world after Saint Peter's in Rome and Saint Paul's in London, it is now arguably the largest church in the world when compared using the measurement of volume. Seville's fifteenth century cathedral occupies the site of the former great mosque built in the late twelfth century. The central nave rises to an awesome 37 metres over a total area of 11,520 square metres. The Cathedral is the final resting place of the remains of Christopher Columbus.
La Giralda is a large and beautiful minaret tower, originally intended for the chief mosque, but now is the magnificent bell tower of the Cathedral and a symbol of Seville. Climb the 34 ramps for a great view of the city. Adult admission to both attractions is €8 each.
The Real Alcázar is a beautiful palace in Mudéjar (Moorish) style, built in the XIV Century by Pedro I the Cruel. With its myriad rooms, extravagant architecture, lavish gardens with many courtyards, ponds and secrets to be explored, it is a fascinating place to visit. Be sure to check out the room where Christopher Columbus's journey to the Americas were planned. You can see his coat of arms embroidered on the wall along with many other royals. In the heat of summer it offers a cool retreat from the suns glare and can quite easily keep you occupied for a few centuries, if not all of your life. Adult admission is €8,50 - students younger than 25 years pay €2.
The Jewish Quarter (Barrio Santa Cruz) is located around the Cathedral. It is filled with small winding streets and is generally regarded as the most charming part of the city, but it is also fairly touristy.
The Hospital de los Venerables, Plaza de los Venerables. A 17th century retirement home and hospital for aged and sickly retired priests, recently restored by the Fundación to preserve an example of Andalusian architecture at its very best. Includes a resplendent Baroque chapel which is highly recommended. Adult admission is €4.75 and includes an informative audio guide.
Torre de Oro is a thirteenth century tower, the top of which is rumored to have once been covered in gold. It now houses the local maritime museum. Admission €1 for students.
Parque María Luisa was built for the 1929 Iber-Americano World's Fair and now is landscaped with attractive monuments and museums.
Plaza de España is the site of the Spanish pavilion from the 1929 exhibition. In more recent years it was used in the filming of the new Star Wars episodes. It is somewhat in need of repair. Visit it early in the morning on a weekday to see a long line of immigrants outside one of the government offices it now houses, or visit it right before it closes (officially at 10PM but likely half an hour later) to see it completely empty and rather eerie.
Universidad de Sevilla was once the Tobacco Factory of Seville and was constructed between 1728 and 1771 by Sebastián Van der Bocht. Over the main entrance, the triangular facade ends in a statue of La Fama (fame). The tobacco factory was then the largest industrial building in Spain. A monopoly assured high income, which is reflected in the factory's architecture and surrounding Gardens. Its chapel and prison complement the main building. In the interior you find impressive stairways, fountains and Patios. It was the setting for the first act of Bizet's opera Carmen. In 1953 the factory was converted into the main building of Seville University. Just behind the tobacco factory, the (9) María Luisa park borders the historic center of Seville to the south.
The Museum of Fine Arts, (Plaza del Museo). Worth seeing although it can't compare with the museums in Madrid (see Museo de Bellas Artes, below). �
The Palacio de la Condesa de Lebrija (The Lebrija Palace), (Calle Cuna), . Mo-Fr 10:30-19:30 (Jul/Aug: 09:00-15:00), Sat 10:00-19:00 (Jul/Aug: 10:00-14:00Uhr), Sun 10:00-14:00 (Jul-Aug: closed). The palace is considered the “best paved house-palace in Europe” owing to its collection of roman mosaics, which paved practically the whole of the ground floor. There is also a collection of well parapets, vases, amphora, columns and sculptures of incalculable worth. On the upper floor you can visit the residences previously inhabited by the Countess and her decedents, up to only a few years ago; extremely well preserved, they are today filled with ornaments and furniture from all over the world, priceless artwork by Van Dyke, Bruegel, Alonso Cano, amongst others, as well as collections of porcelain and glass. �
Casa de Pilatos. A sixteenth century palace and generally thought to be one of the best in the city. Admission €8, free after 1PM on Tuesdays. �
Palacio de Arzobispal. Located in the historical section of the city and is home to various clergy and the Archbishop. On the outside you only can catch a glimpse of the patio but on the inside there are important works of art. �
Archivo General de Indias (General Archive of the Indies). Including Columbu's diary. �
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Seville
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Seville Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
