Spain. Series 5. Seville (Andalusia): the passion of the magical flamenco capital.
Today is a very important day for us as we end our journey through Andalusia in its beautiful capital city of Seville. This city is world famous for its Easter and April Fair, but any time of year is perfect for exploring it. You will definitely enjoy: buildings with a rich history and interesting modern neighbourhoods where life is in full swing. It is a vibrant city of lovers like Carmen and Don Juan, where bullfighting is still politically correct and little girls dream of becoming flamenco dancers. Welcome to Seville, the capital of Andalusia! There is a wonderful legend about the founding of Seville, associated with the ancient Greek hero Hercules. He arrived at the western end of the earth, performing one of his 12 feats. Here, the hero stole a herd of beautiful cows from the formidable giant Geryon and took them to Greece. And since the journey to the western lands itself was already a feat, Hercules built two stone pillars on both sides of a narrow strait near the shores of the Ocean, which are still called the Pillars of Hercules. He also founded a city on the southern coast, which he later gave to his son, Hispano. This city became Seville. And Hercules, thanks to his footprint in southern Spain, is still depicted on the coat of arms of Andalusia. When the Moors conquered Spain, they called the city "Isbilia", which is where the name Seville comes from. At first it was ruled by the Caliphate of Cordoba, but after the fall of the Cordoban dynasty, it was ruled by the Almohads from the 11th century, during whose reign the city reached its peak. During this era, the Torre del Oro tower and the Great Mosque were built. On 23 November 1248, after a long siege, Seville was conquered by the Christian King Ferdinand III of Castile, and he made it one of the capitals of his kingdom. A great starting point for exploring the city is Plaza del Triunfo, the heart of the old town. It is home to some of the most important monuments, such as the Royal Alcazar Palace, the Archives of the Indies, and the Cathedral with the Giralda Tower. The Cathedral of Santa Maria de la Catedral in Seville is the third largest church in Europe after St. Peter’s Cathedral in the Vatican and St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, and the largest Gothic cathedral in the world. This architectural masterpiece primarily symbolised for the Spaniards the victory of Christianity over Islam. But after the victory of Christians, for 2 centuries, services were held here as if nothing had happened, in a large mosque. The plan for the new church was approved only in the early 15th century. The architects boasted that they would build a cathedral so large that everyone would consider them mad. And they certainly succeeded. It can accommodate an entire football field. To build the church, most of the mosque was destroyed. All that remained was a courtyard with orange trees and a minaret almost 100 metres high, converted into a bell tower, which is now known as the La Giralda Tower. It was once considered one of the tallest in the world. The muezzin used to climb this tower five times a day to call the Muslims of Seville to prayer. Christian monks climbed up here to ring the bells to announce the beginning of a service or church meeting. And today you can climb to its top to see the panorama of the city from a bird’s eye view. The construction of the main nave of the cathedral took about 100 years. The main altar image is covered with gold leaf and consists of hundreds of figures that tell the story of Jesus’ life in 40 scenes, from his birth to his resurrection. The remains of Christopher Columbus are buried under the arches of the cathedral. The tomb of the great discoverer is supported by 4 statues of the 4 medieval kingdoms of Castile, Leon, Navarre and Aragon, which united to become Spain. Columbus travelled a lot even after his death. He was first buried in Seville, then moved to Santo Domingo, then to Cuba, and after Cuba gained independence from Spain in 1900, he returned here to Seville. We owe Christopher Columbus, at least indirectly, the existence of another symbolic building in Seville – the Archive of the Indies. During the heyday of the Spanish Empire, it served as the entrance gate for merchants and goods arriving from the Americas. Just as Cordoba has its Mesquite and Granada has its Alhambra, Seville has its Alcazar. The Royal Alcazar of Seville is one of the oldest palaces in the world and is still used by the Spanish royal family as their official residence. Although they are usually spoken of in the plural: Alcazars, because this palace complex has grown to the size of a small town over the centuries. At first glance, the fabulous palace ensemble seems to be a creation of the Moorish period, and although in the 11th century it was indeed used as the residence of the Almohad Caliphs, most of it was built in the 14th century after the reconstruction in the Mudejar style, a symbiosis of Moorish architecture and European Gothic typical of Andalusia. The characteristic features of this style are ceilings inlaid with precious stones, painted floors and walls. Over the centuries, the look of the fortress has changed depending on fashion and technological developments. Thus, Gothic and Baroque elements were gradually added to the façade and interior of the castle. For example, during the reign of Charles V, a Gothic chapel and a hunting yard were added to the palace. The most amazing part of the palace is the throne room. An unforgettable impression is made by the gilded wood dome, which resembles the half of a huge orange. The largest courtyard in the enfilade is named after the beautiful favourite and secret wife of King Pedro I the Cruel of Castile, Maria de Padilla, who lived here in the 14th century. In the vaulted room under the Patio del Crucero, there are her baths, which preserve the memories of her and the king’s passionate love. Interestingly, the water used for water procedures was rainwater – thanks to special cisterns, it was collected in the pool. Maria de Padilla was of a simple family, but she managed to fall in love with the formidable king of Spain. Although Pedro I was forced to marry other women twice for political reasons, he considered Maria to be his true wife. She bore Pedro 4 children and died giving birth to the fifth. After her death, King Pedro I was so grief-stricken that a year later he revealed a secret and told the nobles of Seville that Maria de Padilla was his first and only wife, whom they had secretly married in the past. According to the king, Maria hid this to prevent an uprising in the kingdom. Based on this claim, the king’s other two marriages were declared invalid, and the court upheld the claim, declaring Mary queen. Her body was transferred to the royal chapel of the Seville Cathedral, where the king himself later found peace. And the son of Maria and Pedro Alfonso was declared the heir. Although, despite this beautiful love story, it is worth remembering that Pedro I was nicknamed cruel for a reason. He had many mistresses and illegitimate children, and one of the women he pursued, although she belonged to a noble Seville family, even disfigured her beautiful face to make the king leave her alone. Her name was Maria Cornel and she belonged to a family that opposed King Pedro I, for which most of her relatives were killed. But the king fell in love with Maria, so to escape from him, she sought refuge in the Santa Clara convent. Pedro went there hoping to find her, but the nuns were hiding Maria. Only on the last unexpected visit of the king did she manage to hide. Pedro chased her through the corridors, intending to take her here to the Alcazar. But when Doña María ran into the kitchen, where food was being prepared, she did not hesitate to take a frying pan full of boiling oil and throw it in her face, wanting to disfigure herself so that the king would no longer feel any desire for her. The oil caused terrible burns. When the king entered the kitchen and saw the woman’s bleeding face, contorted in pain, he left and never returned to her. And Maria founded a new monastery, Santa Inés, where she became the first abbess and organised an order of Clarissa nuns, which she led until her death. Sultans and caliphs, kings and queens used to stroll through this beautiful garden. As in other Muslim gardens, water is the most important element here. That is why every courtyard and patio has a pool or fountain. The centrepiece of the complex is the elegant Maiden’s Court. King Pedro I hired Muslim labourers to add Moorish elegance to this harsh fortress. And they were able to build the finest Mudéjar-style building in all of Spain. The intimate Puppet Court was the king’s living quarters, where he relaxed with his family by the pool. Once again, we see sacred verses written in a complex Arabic script. But the décor here is clearly Christian, with images of animals, floral designs and kings that are not usually found in religious Muslim art, which forbids the depiction of living beings. One of the newest buildings in the complex, the Casa de Contratación (House of Commerce), was built in the early 16th century to celebrate the wedding of Ferdinand II and Isabella I. After Columbus discovered the New World, Isabella anticipated great wealth from the conquest of new territories and trade with them, so she built these halls to manage the New World’s enterprises. The chapel near the House of Commerce is dedicated to Santa Maria de los Buenos Aires. Saint Mary of the Good Winds was the patron saint of sailors and a favourite of Columbus. This altar painting, made shortly after Columbus’ death, is considered the first and most accurate portrait of the great explorer. It is also the first image of Indians made in Europe. The Virgin’s cloak seems to protect everyone under it. Even the Indians. The local gardens look simply fabulous. Like the palace, they reflect a mixture of cultures. The mysterious geometric Moorish gardens lead to the newer, much larger court of the Spanish kings. Fans of Game of Thrones will be delighted with these gardens, as they were the perfect location for the Water Gardens Palace in Dorne, from where the House of Martell ruled their kingdom. So, we recommend that you visit the fabulous Seville Alcazar to see its unsurpassed beauty with your own eyes. And we will continue our route around the city, and then the magic of the three T’s awaits us: Triana, Tapas and Torre del Oro. In the 16th century, Seville was Europe’s gateway to the New World – during the Age of Discovery. The explorers Christopher Columbus, Ferdinand Magellan and Amerigo Vespucci sailed from here because the city was located near the water and had the largest and best ports. The starting and ending point of trade with the New World was the Golden Tower, or Torre del Oro, built in 1120 in the Arsenal quarter, just a 10-minute walk from the Cathedral. The tower got its name because it was covered with gilded tiles from the base to the loopholes. For centuries, it served as part of the city’s fortifications and held a heavy chain thrown across the river to protect the harbour, and now houses a very interesting maritime museum. The 16th century was the Golden Age of Seville, as the fertile riches of the New World made the city an important centre of art and culture. At this point, the population reached a record 150,000 inhabitants. But the heyday ended with the onset of the 17th century. A black streak began in the city’s history. First, Seville was struck by a plague epidemic that reduced the population tenfold, and then the city suffered an economic catastrophe – due to limestone deposits brought by the Guadalquivir River, the bay became shallow, making it impossible for ships to enter the harbour, and Seville lost its monopoly on trade with the New World in favour of Cadiz. Since then, and until the 19th century, the city has not been able to regain its former importance. But it has retained its amazing atmosphere. Like in the Triana neighbourhood, one of the most symbolic quarters of the main city of Andalusia, where you can see colourful facades of houses and many great cafes and bars. Triana, Santa Cruz and Alfalfa are not only the grand districts of Seville with their amazing monuments, but also the special joy that lives in its neighbourhoods. Flamenco bars are an integral part of Andalusian culture. Flamenco is based on the "cante", a lyrical Spanish song, but later the dance began to come to the fore. This is how this amazing symbiosis of melody, rhythm and plasticity emerged, expressing the very essence of the worldview of ordinary Spaniards. And in the hoarse voices of the singers you will hear the echo of the Muslim call to prayer, which is a vivid reminder of the centuries of the Moors’ rule. When you arrive in Seville, you should definitely attend a flamenco performance. Check out the El Arenal Tablao, which is five minutes from the Maestranza Arena, or you can walk a little further and get to the Los Gallos Tablao. Both venues offer unique experiences: live flamenco performances – the exciting sounds of guitar, singing and dance. A worthy culmination of your Seville itinerary will be one of the most well-groomed green spaces in Spain – the Maria Luisa Park. The huge park is ideal for outdoor picnics, hiking and sports at any time of the year. It is also home to the Plaza de España, one of the most photographed sites in Seville. It is the perfect place to make your impressions of the city unforgettable. The square was designed as a symbolic space for the 1929 Ibero-American Exhibition. Wait for the evening twilight and, if time permits, enjoy a boat ride on the Guadalquivir River. This journey is sure to enchant you, and you will be able to understand why the singer Juan Peña, nicknamed Lebrichano, said: "What Seville has given you, no one can take away". It’s time to say goodbye to Seville and Andalusia, where the celebration seems to go on forever. But we are taking with us all the wonderful memories of this region, from the attractive beaches and unforgettable views to the delicious food, ancient mosques, majestic cathedrals and palaces. We leave sunny Andalusia full of energy and happiness. And we say goodbye to you, because we will meet again soon, in a new region of Spain. So, Adios, amigos!
Welcome to the fifth series of our journey through Andalusia! Today we will visit Seville – a city with a rich history, charming architecture and unparalleled culture.
Together with you, we will see the majestic Cathedral and climb to the top of the La Giralda tower.
We will walk around the current residence of the kings – the Alcazar, where “Game of Thrones” was also filmed. Let’s dive into the story of the tragic love of Pedro I and Maria de Padillier.
And we will also visit the Archives of India, where the documents of great explorers such as Christopher Columbus are stored.
We will learn how Seville became Europe’s gateway to the New World and why this city was the center of art and culture during Spain’s Golden Age. Let’s visit the Triana quarter to try traditional tapas and enjoy live flamenco in the city’s famous bars.
We will end our route in one of the most photographed places in Seville – in the Plaza de España and in Maria Luisa Park. An evening boat ride on the Guadalquivir River will be the perfect end to our trip.
Join us and discover the magic of Seville!
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00:00 The uniqueness of Seville
00:40 The legend of the founding by Heracles
01:22 Coat of arms of Andalusia
01:26 History of the city
02:02 Plaza del Triunfo
02:18 Seville Cathedral
03:14 La Giralda tower
03:54 Tomb of Christopher Columbus
04:24 Archive of India
04:47 Royal Alcazar of Seville
06:08 Pedro I and Maria de Padillier
06:21 Baths
07:50 Maria Cornel
08:52 Gardens of the Alcazar
09:51 Trade House
10:16 Santa Maria de los Buenos Aires
11:28 The Age of Great Geographical Discoveries
11:47 Torre del Oro
13:09 Quarters of Triana, Santa Cruz and Alfalfa
13:32 Flamenco
14:24 Maria-Louise Park
14:36 Square of Spain
14:55 Boat cruise on the Guadalquivir River
15:13 The end