Exploring Seville, Spain – Part 2

In my first post on Seville, we explored its amazing Gothic cathedral, located in the heart of the old quarter of Seville. In this post we’ll explore some other nearby sights.

Real Alcázar

The Real Alcázar is right across the plaza from the Cathedral, making it convenient to visit at the same time. The Alcázar was (and still is) the home of the rulers of Seville and Spain. It dates back to Moorish times (11th and 12th centuries) and then continued to be a home for subsequent Christian monarchs including Ferdinand and Isabella, King and Queen during the time of Columbus. Later, 16th century kings remodeled and added rooms. The royal family of Spain still uses some of the upper floor rooms today.

Looking down at the Real Alcázar (located inside the crenellated walls) from the Cathedral’s tower.

Since Seville was a gateway to the New World in the 15th and 16th centuries (being just 50 miles from the Atlantic via the Guadalquivir River), the palace holds a major place in history as the site where plans were drawn up to explore the western hemisphere. The Alcázar has a long and complicated history, with many changes over the centuries.

The Patio de las Doncellas (Patio of the Maidens) with plasterwork by master craftsmen from Granada.
Ambassador’s Hall. It is believed that in this room Columbus was given his commission to explore the New World.
Patio del Yeso
Detail of plasterwork.
Patio del Yeso (left), one of the oldest parts of the Alcázar (12th century). On the right, more detail of the plaster craftmanship found at the Alcázar.
Admiral’s Hall, 16th century. Although this room may look plain, the course of world history changed here. Amerigo Vespucci and Magellan planned the first around-the-world travel here and the first map of the world was also drawn here.
The Alcázar‘s beautiful gardens are the last stop on your visit.

Santa Cruz

This is a neighborhood directly east of the Seville cathedral and was once a Jewish ghetto. It is worth walking through this area – restaurants, picturesque alleys, and beautiful architecture are the rewards for doing so.

One of the many beautiful little streets in Santa Cruz.
A little plaza (with orange trees!) in the Santa Cruz neighborhood.
The Hospital de los Venerables – a 17th century home for elderly priests, is located in Santa Cruz.

Torre del Oro

The “Tower of Gold” was one of two towers that stood beside the river to protect Seville from invaders. The 2nd tower across the river no longer stands. A chain could be raised across the river from the towers to stop ships from entering the harbor of Seville. The Torre del Oro is now the launch point for river cruises and “hop on – hop off” bus tours. It’s about a 10-15 minute walk along the Guadalquivir River from the Cathedral to the Torre del Oro.

Torre del Oro.
This scene of rowers in the Guadalquivir River reminded me of the Charles River in Cambridge (Boston) where you can see serious rowers almost any time of year.