Palacio Pinello
Discover Seville

Cathedral

The Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world. Its construction began in the first third of the 15th century, after the demolition of the former great mosque of the city. The predominant style is Gothic, which in turn coexists with Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassical and Neogothic structures, as the work continued over the centuries.

There are still a few remnants of the old mosque in the current Cathedral: the orange tree-lined courtyard, Patio de los Naranjos, and the Almohad minaret, converted to a Renaissance bell tower during the middle of the 16th century by Hernán Ruiz II; the well-known Giralda. The building, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, contains works of great importance by artists like Juan Bautista Vázquez "The Elder"; Duque Cornejo, Martínez Montañés, Zurbarán, Pedro de Campaña, Goya, and Murillo; as well as the tombs of distinguished figures like Fernando III "The Saint" and Cristóbal Colón.

It is also important to note that the main altarpiece of the Cathedral of Seville is considered one of the most important in all Christianity.

Archives of the Indies 

The building of the Archivo General de Indias was designed at the end of the 16th century by Juan de Minjares based on plans previously drawn up by Juan de Herrera, the architect of the San Lorenzo del Escorial, in the Renaissance style.

After Columbus's voyages, Seville became the only port allowed to trade with the Americas, making the city very rich and turning it into the most important harbor of its era. In the wake of these developments, many traders and merchants would gather around the harbor, prompting King Philip II to order the construction of this building for them to store all the documents related to voyages to Spain's New World territories.

The Archives of the Indies is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Plaza de España

Its construction began in 1914, to serve as the main building of the Ibero-American Exhibition of 1929, which took place in Seville. Its architect was Aníbal González, his creation constituting one of the most important works ever created in the Regionalist style. The construction symbolizes Spain's embrace of its ancient colonies, opening up towards the Guadalquivir River, a symbol of the way to America. The building is replete with national emblems (badges, distinguished personalities, etc.) You can also enjoy it on a boat ride along its 1,600 ft (500 m) canal.

The Plaza de España has also been used as a backdrop for films, including Lawrence of Arabia and Star Wars Episode II: The Clone Wars.

Reales Alcázares

The Reales Alcazares de Sevilla are a set of palatial facilities comprising the oldest royal palace in Europe. Originally built during the Muslim era, these palaces were remodeled and expanded over the centuries, adapting to new requirements. Recent studies place the city's first settlements at and near this location. The Alcázar de Sevilla is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.The predominant style is Mudejar, since the first remodeling occurred after the conquest of the city in 1248 by Fernando III. Expansion and remodeling work in the Renaissance and Baroque styles took place later.

Some of the signature elements of the building are its Patio de las Doncellas (Courtyard of the Maidens), the façade of the Palacio de Pedro I, the dome of the Salón de los Embajadores (Hall of Embassadors), and the palaces' vast gardens.

María Luisa Park

The María Luisa Park is the city's most famous. This space was part of the gardens attached to the Palacio de San Telmo until 1893, when the Duchess of Montpensier donated it to the city for the construction of a public garden. The park, designed by landscape artist Jean-Claude Nicolas Forestier, opened its gates in 1914.

This magnificent garden was part of the above-mentioned Ibero-American Exhibition of 1929, with buildings within the park like the Plaza de España. Another space within the park dedicated to this kind of act is the Plaza de América, where the Pabellón Real (Royal Pavilion), Pabellón Mudéjar (today the Museum of Popular Arts and Customs) and the Pabellón de Bellas Artes (Fine Arts Pavilion, today the Archaeological Museum) are located.

Golden Tower

The Golden Tower formed part of the defenses of the Alcazar, to which it was joined by a wall. Its construction was carried out in three phases: the first body in 1220, the second in the 14th century, and the final one in 1760. There are legends about the origins of its name, but nothing to clarify whether they are true. One says that it was covered with gold-colored tiles, another says that it was called "del Oro" (of gold) because it was used to store the riches that arrived from America via the Guadalquivir. The most probable explanation is that it received this name due to the material used to construct it, which gave it a golden appearance reflected in the river.

Barrio Santa Cruz

The old Jewish quarter of Seville is one of the quaintest, most traditional neighborhoods in the city. The Santa Cruz area forms an almost labyrinthine maze of streets that often converge in some of its famous squares, such as Plaza de Doña Elvira, Plaza de los Refinadores, and the Plaza de Santa Cruz, where the old church for which the neighborhood was named was located.

Iglesia del Salvador

The Iglesia del Salvador was built over an old Muslim great mosque, which was, in turn, built on Roman and Visigoth constructions. The Baroque architecture features treasures from that era, such as the main altarpiece and images of the Cristo de Amor (Christ of Love) and Señor de Pasión (Lord of Passion).

The current building was designed by architect Leonardo de Figueroa and was erected between 1674 and 1712. This is the largest church in the city after the Cathedral.

City Hall

The City Hall building has two main façades, one of them facing the Plaza Nueva and the other one, the Plaza de San Francisco. Its construction began in the 15th century under the direction of Diego de Riaño, who was responsible for the Plateresque style of the first part of the building. This wing is the one facing the Avenida de la Constitución and some parts of the Plaza de San Francisco, where an old arch providing access to the Convento de San Francisco can be found. In the 16th century the rest of the building was completed in the Neoclassical style.