Location

Torre del Oro

The Torre del Oro-Maritime Museum of Seville is a defensive tower built in the thirteenth century, with a thick chain that extends from it to the other side of the river to cut off enemy ships. This tower, Albarrana, is 36 metres high and is located on the left bank of the Guadalquivir river and is divided into three parts: the first two are dodecagonal, the first is built by Almohads and the second is by Pedro I “El Cruel”. The third body is cylindrical with dome at the top and was built in the eighteenth century. This tower protects the river entrance of the Barcas bridge and the industrial activity that enters the Arenal by land. The tower is connected to the Torre de La Plata by a line of wall called “coracha”, which in turn is connected to the Alcazar. Today, Torre del Oro has a small and interesting naval museum.

Plaza de España

The Plaza de España is considered one of the most iconic monuments of Sevillian architecture. Of regionalist style, it was the Aníbal Gonzalez’s most important work. He built it for the Ibero-American exhibition of 1929, which was held in Seville. The first time he saw it, king Alfonso XIII said: “Gentlemen, I knew this was pretty… but not so much.” It has been the scene of films such as “Lawrence of Arabia” (1962) by David Lean or “Attack of the Clones” (2002) Episode II of “Star Wars” by George Lucas.

Archivo de Indias

The Archivo de Indias contains documents of enormous value: 43,000 files, 80 million pages, 8,000 maps… Among them are the manuscript texts of Christopher Columbus or Magellan. The visiting space is used to explore world history without leaving Seville.

It was in the time of Philip II when the Lonja de Sevilla was built to prevent merchants from using the staircase of the church for trade. The Casa Lonja de Mercaderes became the Public Archive of India in 1785, for logistical reasons and in the spirit of the Enlightenment. King Charles III decided to implement a large collection of historical documents in this building.

The Giralda of Seville

The construction of the tower covers different historical periods, the lower two-thirds corresponding to the Almohad construction of the Minaret annexed to the main mosque and dating from the twelfth century, while the upper third is a Christian construction that was added to house the body of bells. On the body of bells and on top of a ball, the Giraldillo rises.

The total height of the Giralda, including the Giraldillo, is 104 metres and has been for many centuries one of the highest and most famous constructions in Europe and the tallest tower in Spain, as it surpassed towers such as Big Ben (96.3 m) and the Tower of Pisa (55.8 m). In the 80s, the Giralda was declared a World Heritage Site.

Real Alcázar de Sevilla

The Real Alcázar de Sevilla is a fortress palace product of the construction of several different historical stages since the eleventh century. Inside, Mudejar art and from the Castilian conquest are preserved. In subsequent renovation works, Renaissance, Mannerist and Baroque elements were added. Abd Al Raman III began the construction of this walled palace composed of rooms adorned with plasterwork, tiling and craftsmanship, which blend in with the majestic gardens and water. Through all these elements a harmony that is difficult to forget is achieved. It is worth mentioning inside the palace, the Patio de las Doncellas, with beautiful tiled plinths and the Patio de las Muñecas with an attractive collection of capitals.

La Real Maestranza de Sevilla Bullring.

The Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza de Caballería de Sevilla is the oldest in Spain. The bullfighting venue takes place as part of the Feria de Abril of Seville, one of the most popular bullfighting festivals in the world. It is considered one of the most famous tourist attractions in the city and one of the most visited by tourists. It is one of the toughest places in the world for bullfighters, for its determination and personality, as well as for its audience, possibly one of the most critical among bullfighting fans. Property of the Real Maestranza de Caballería. In certain bullfighting environments it is considered the most important bullring in Spain: The Cathedral of Bullfighting. It is home to the Bullfighting Museum.

Museum of Fine Arts

Previously Convento de la Merced Calzada, founded after the conquest of Seville in 1248 by San Pedro Nolasco, it became the “Museo de Pinturas” in 1835, was inaugurated in 1841 and initially contained the works of art from the confiscation of convents and monasteries.

The collections are the result of confiscated ecclesiastical assets, donations and acquisitions from the public administration.

Sevillian painting and its orbit, emphasising the seventeenth century, is the museum’s main theme, although the museum has very diverse collections (paintings, sculptures, ceramics, jewellers, furniture, etc.).

Santa Cruz District

Located in the heart of historic Seville, Seville’s Barrio de Santa Cruz boasts the sinuosity, décor and width of typical Andalusian Jewish quarters and many charming places to enjoy tapas or go shopping. In this area the Jewish quarter of Seville settled; they were forced to leave the city in 1483, although some resisted the expulsion. However, at the end of the nineteenth century, Santa Cruz deteriorated and did not recover its splendour until the restorations promoted by the Ibero-American Exhibition of 1929. As a result, the visitor will find a maze of alleys, in which we can immerse ourselves in the Jewish-Sevillian history. With one of the best views of the Giralda.

Basilica of the Macarena

At number 1 Bécquer Street, in the popular neighbourhood of La Macarena, is the famous Church of the Macarena, although its official name is The Basilica of Santa María de la Esperanza Macarena. The Catholic Shrine is the headquarters of the Esperanza Macarena brotherhood. The steps of María Santísima de la Esperanza Macarena and Nuestro Padre Jesús de la Sentencia cross the city of Seville in the early morning of Good Friday, known as the “Madrugá”. The construction of the Basilica began in 1941, on April 13. Pedro Segura y Sáenz, archbishop of Seville, blessed and laid the first stone of the temple. The work was not completed until 1949, consecrated by Cardinal José María Bueno, archbishop of the city, on October 7, 1966 and blessed the same year of completion of the works by the archbishop who laid the first stone.

Archaeological Site of Itálica

City located between Seville, Híspalis, and Alcalá del Rio, Ilipa, in the current municipality of Santiponce. Very close to the mines that were being exploited at the time in Sierra Morena. Strategic military and economic settlement at the time of the High Roman Empire. The evidence of its great importance at the time was the extension that reached, 52 hectares. The origins of the archaeological complex of Itálica date back to 206 BC. . During the Second Punic War the general Publius Cornelius Scipio, established a detachment of legionaries on the hill of San Antonio by defeating the Carthaginians in the Battle of Ilipa. In this hill there was already a Turdetan village since the fourth century BC .