#14 Alcazar, Seville, SPAIN

Together these three buildings form a remarkable monumental complex in the heart of Seville. The cathedral and the Alcázar – dating from the Reconquest of 1248 to the 16th century and imbued with Moorish influences – are an exceptional testimony to the civilization of the Almohads as well as that of Christian Andalusia. The Giralda minaret is the masterpiece of Almohad architecture. It stands next to the cathedral with its five naves; the largest Gothic building in Europe, it houses the tomb of Christopher Columbus. The ancient Lonja, which became the Archivo de Indias, contains valuable documents from the archives of the colonies in the Americas.

Together the Cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo de Indias as a series, form a remarkable monumental complex in the heart of Seville. They perfectly epitomize the Spanish "Golden Age", incorporating vestiges of Islamic culture, centuries of ecclesiastical power, royal sovereignty and the trading power that Spain acquired through its colonies in the New World.

Founded in 1403 on the site of a former mosque, the Cathedral, built in Gothic and Renaissance style, covers seven centuries of history. With its five naves it is the largest Gothic building in Europe. Its bell tower, the Giralda, was the former minaret of the mosque, a masterpiece of Almohad architecture and now is important example of the cultural syncretism thanks to the top section of the tower, designed in the Renaissance period by Hernán Ruiz. Its "chapter house" is the first known example of the use of the elliptical floor plan in the western world. Ever since its creation, the Cathedral has continued to be used for religious purposes.

The original nucleus of the Alcázar was constructed in the 10th century as the palace of the Moslem governor, and is used even today as the Spanish royal family's residence in this city, thereby retaining the same purpose for which it was originally intended: as a residence of monarchs and heads of state. Built and rebuilt from the early Middle Ages right up to our times, it consists of a group of palatial buildings and extensive gardens. The Alcázar embraces a rare compendium of cultures where areas of the original Almohad palace - such as the "Patio del Yeso" or the "Jardines del Crucero" - coexist with the Palacio de Pedro I representing Spanish Mudejar art, together with other constructions displaying every cultural style from the Renaissance to the Neoclassical.

The Archivo de Indias building was constructed in 1585 to house the Casa Lonja or Consulado de Mercaderes de Sevilla (Consulate of the merchants of Seville). It became the Archivo General de Indias in 1785, and since then it has become home to the greatest collection of documentation concerning the discovery of and relations with the New World. The Archivo de Indias, designed by the architect responsible for completing El Escorial, Juan de Herrera, is one of the clearest examples of Spanish Renaissance architecture. An enormous influence on Baroque Andalusian architecture and on Spanish neoclassicism, it symbolizes the link between the Old and the New World.

Seville owes its importance during the 16th and 17th centuries to its designation as the capital of theCarrera de Indias (the Indies route: the Spanish trading monopoly with Latin America). It was the "Gateway to the Indies" and the only trading port with the Indies from 1503 until 1718.

The Conjunto Monumental, or group of historic buildings encompassing the Cathedral/Giralda, the Alcázar and the Archivo de Indias, constitutes a remarkable testimony to the major stages of the city's urban history (Islamic, Christian, and that of Seville with its associations with the New World), as well as symbolizing a city that became the trading capital with the Indies for two centuries - a time during which Seville was the hub of the Spanish monarchy and played a major role in the colonization of Latin America following its discovery by Columbus.

Each one of these monuments is associated with the colonization process. The tomb of Columbus is preserved in the Cathedral. The Sala de los Almirantes (Admirals' hall) in the Alcázar was the headquarters of the Casa de Contratación (House of Trade), from which the monopoly with the Indies operated, and where, as a seat of learning, it spawned some of the most important expeditions of exploration and discovery of that period. And the Archivo de Indias has, since the 18th century, housed the most valuable and important documents which provide an insight into this historical event.

The Alcázar of Seville is one of the most representative monumental compounds in the city, the country and the Mediterranean culture as a whole. The historical evolution of the city in the last millennium is held within its walls and gardens, amalgamating influences starting from the Arabic period, late Middle Ages Mudéjar right through to the Renaissance, Baroque and the XIX century. The declaration of World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987 acknowledged the survival of cultures and civilizations as a harmonic whole where all of the elements are balanced. The visitor will get to know these unique surroundings either through the legendary al-Mutamid, the XI century monarch and poet from Seville, or through some of the characters that illuminated modern-day Spain around 1812.

You are about to enter one of the most visited complexes in the world, a space in which you will recognize yourself as part of Humanity as a whole, and where cultural and educational activities of which you may partake are organized by the Royal Alcázar Board of Patronage and the Town Hall. These include lectures, Spring Theatre or the Alcázar Gardens Evenings. Welcome: please feel at home, you are in one of the oldest European Royal Palaces that are still in use.

Soon after the Almohades, a Moorish dynasty, gained control of Seville in 1161, they embarked on a building frenzy. They constructed a number of baths, towers, a lavish grand mosque and a fortress-like palace known as the Al-Muwarak (the Blessed).

In 1364, after the Reconquista - the reconquest of Moorish Spain by Christians - King Pedro I commissioned the construction of a new palace, the Palacio Pedro I, at the site of the Al-Muwarak. Craftsmen from across Andalusia created a magnificent interior in Mudéjar style, arranged around a number of patios. Over the years, other monarchs kept expanding the palace, resulting in a diverse complex with different architectural styles. The top floor of the palace is still actively used by the Royal Family. Lion's Gate:

The palace can be entered from the Plaza del Triunfo through the Puerta del León or Lion's Gate. The large gate, set in a massive crenellated defensive wall, is decorated with an azulejo (ceramic tilework) depiction of a heraldic lion.

The gate leads to the Lion's Patio. Ahead, passing through a triple arch, is another courtyard, the Patio de la Montería. It is named after the hunters (monteros) who met here with the King before they went out hunting.
The patio is bordered by the Palacio Pedro I, the original palace of King Pedro. Its façade is decorated in Mudéjar style with lobed arched windows and blind arches. Once inside you arrive onto the Patio de las Doncellas, the main courtyard of the palace. This was the center of public life in the palace of Pedro I. From the patio, which is named after the ladies (doncellas) who spent much of their time here, you can reach several halls: the Hall of the Kings, the Hall of Charles V and the Hall of the Embassadors.

The latter was used for ceremonial events. Locally known as the Salón de Embajadores, it is the most magnificent part of the palatial complex. Intricately decorated archways with horseshoe arches give access to the hall which is covered with a stunning dome, 

 

Dome of the Embassadors Hall

created in 1389 in a Moorish style by Diego Ruiz, a Sevillian craftsman. The gilded dome is made of interlaced wood. Just below the dome is a frieze with portraits of Spanish kings.

Private life in the Palace of Pedro I revolved around the Patio de las Muñecas, which leads to the bedrooms and private halls. The small hall is enclosed by a gallery with marble columns and lobed arches. The name of the Patio de las Muñecas - Patio of the Dolls - is derived from four small heads that decorate one of the arches. A complete different architectural style can be found in the Salones de Carlos V, where a gothic vaulted hall is decorated with tapestries and azulejos.

Another interesting hall, situated west of the Patio de la Montería, is the Hall of the Admirals (Cuarto del Admirante). Seafarers and navigators planned their journeys to the Americas here, in the Casa de la Contratación. A retable in the small chapel of the Casa de la Contratación is said to depict Christopher Columbus next to the Virgin Mary.

The Gardens

A visit to the Royal Alcazar also allows entry into the royal gardens. The expansive area is divided into a number of separate gardens some of which are terraced. 

They are laid out in a number of diverse styles, including French, Italian and Arab. The gardens bear names such as the Garden of the Dance, Garden of the Ladies and the Garden of the Prince.

The first area you'll encounter is the Garden of the Pond (Jardín del Estanque). Here a large arch overlooks a rectangular basin, known as the Pond of Mercury. At the center of the pond is a small fountain with a statue of Mercury, the messenger of the Gods. 

The arch is connected to a gallery - the Galeria del Grutesco - which was once part of the original Moorish palace.

From the pond you have a view over a walled-in section of the garden, laid out in a formal style. To the right of the pond are a number of smaller terraced gardens all connected to each other via gates and small staircases. The gardens are decorated with fountains, grottos, a labyrinth and even a small artificial mountain. The Garden of the Dance is decorated with benches covered with azulejos.