Seville: Mystery, Splendor,
and the True Spirit of Spain

The region’s financial and cultural capital, with its exceptional tourist attractions, lively festivals and unique nightlife make the this the top destination in Andalucia. Endowed and strategically situated, Seville is the last grand metropolis of Southern Europe.

Seville is one of the most visited cities in Spain, combining spectacular scenery, interesting vestiges of the Moorish culture and the essence of Spain to create a soulful city which has much to attract those seeking the escential spirit of Spain. Located on the banks of the Guadalquivir River, Seville is at once a spectacularly beautiful city with a host of monuments reflecting its glorious past and a thriving modern industrial urban center.

First settled by the Tartessians and the Phoenicians, 1,300 years ago the city’s cultural and historical identity forged by its Roman, Visigoth, Arab and Christian past weighs heavily upon Seville’s complex merging of cultures and styles. In the 15th and 16th centuries the city became the main point of departure for ships travelling to and from the New World, making it one of the busiest trade centers in the world, as well as the most powerful and wealthy city within the kingdom of Spain.

To this day Seville remains a fascinating and unique city, and its culture is revered as being definitively Spanish thanks to its unbreakable bond to bullfighting, flamenco and tradition. At the Feria de Abril, which is held in the city two weeks after Easter, all of these elements are in evidence, and well over two million visitors flock to the city to enjoy the atmosphere,the dancing, the music and the food. made Seville is one of the most agriculturally productive regions of Spain.

Much investment has been made in research and development facilities, and these are supported by the impressive infrastructures, many of which were allied and forged by Universal Exposition of 1992. Since then, the city’s mission is to attract and maintain high value business investment requiring highly qualified and skilled workforce and to encourage additional investment by multinationals already working in the region, while allowing Andalusian industry to expand its operations at home and abroad.

Next to a diverse range of cultural institutions, Andalusia hosts five UNESCO World Heritage sites including Seville, Granada and Cordoba, as well as over 100 Andalusian municipalities that have been declared historic areas hosting thousands of protected monuments, archaeological sites and art works.

Above all Seville protects and reveres its way of life, its traditions and identity. This beautiful environment and the rich historical and artistic heritage from its numerous cultures attract more than 25 million visitors each year. Seville’s mysterious splendor are the perfect background for its residents and vistors to immerse themselves in a city of contrasts, offering something to suit every taste; either exploring the historical town and remains, attending flamenco or guitar festivals, or enjoy some of the best food produced in all of Europe.

What to see in Seville:

The capital of Spain’s Andalusian Region boasts a unique quality that travelers yearn for the most: atmosphere. While the city’s mix of Gothic, Mudéjar, Renaissance and Modern architecture is dazzling, it is the lust for life of the Sevillian people that makes a trip to Seville so unique and memorable. If you have only a couple of hours free while in Seville, do not miss the most emblematic sights of Seville which we’ve included here:

10: Parque de María Luisa

Seville’s primary public park, the Parque de María Luisa stretches along the Guadalquivir River near the city center. Most of the park’s grounds were originally part of the gardens of the Palace of San Telmo and were donated to the city in 1893. Landscape designer Jean-Claude Nicolas Forestier is responsible for the park’s present configuration. The park is known for its large population of birds, which include doves, swans, parrots and ducks. Statues, ponds and fountains scattered throughout the park make it a picturesque and pleasant spot in which to relax in the Spanish sun.

9: Metropol Parasol

Located at La Encarnacion Square in Seville’s Old City district, the newly completed Metropol Parasol is described as the largest wooden structure in the world. Designed by German architect Jurgen Mayer-Hermann, the building features six gigantic umbrella-shaped structures made of birch wood imported from Finland. Nicknamed Las Setas de la Encarnacion, or Incarnacion’s Mushrooms, the modern design has spurred almost as much controversy as the building’s exorbitant price tag. Delays and changes in building methods doubled the estimated cost of 50 million euros. The structure is home to a marketplace, an antiquarium, a restaurant and an open air plaza.

8: Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza

For visitors who are interested in the Spanish tradition of bullfighting, the Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza is a can’t-miss destination. The most important bullring in Spain, the 14,000-seat arena dates back to 1758, and bullfights are still held here on Sundays from spring to fall. Visitors don’t need to watch a bullfight, however, to learn more about the tradition. The adjacent museum exhibits artifacts and information about famous bulls and matadors. Tickets will include admission to the museum and a guided tour of the ring.

7: Casa de Pilatos

Located next to the Plaza de Pilatos, the Casa de Pilatos is considered a premier example of an Andalusian palace. Designed by architect Genoese Antonio Maria Aprile in 1529, the “Pilate’s House” was so named in reference to the original owner’s son, Fadrique Enriquez de Rivera, who made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 1519. Although the building is privately owned by the Medinaceli family, it’s open to the public for guided tours much of the year. Standout features include a series of bullfight paintings by Francisco de Goya, a 16th-century marble gate and a grand staircase ornamented with a Mudéjar-style honeycomb ceiling.

6: Plaza de España

In 1914, Sevillian architect Anibal Gonzalez began designing a series of buildings in preparation for the upcoming 1929 Ibero-American Exhibition. Located near the Santa Cruz neighborhood in the Parque de María Luisa, the building were constructed for the world’s fair to showcase Spain’s role in history, industry and technology. Among the exhibits housed in the main edifice were manuscripts written by Spanish explorers Columbus and Cortes. The buildings are a rare example of the Regionalist Revival style of architecture, which is characterized by a use of local materials. Today, the structures serve as various government offices.

5: Barrio Santa Cruz

Located to the east of the Old City, the Barrio Santa Cruz is bordered by the Guadalquivir River. The neighborhood was Seville’s Jewish quarter until the late 1300’s, when synagogues were closed, homes were confiscated and thousands of Jewish people were either killed or forced to convert to Christianity. A neighborhood of narrow, cobbled alleys and streets, the disctrict is filled with orange trees, colorfully tiled patios and small-scale plazas as well as a wide array of tapas bars and restaurants. Closed to vehicle traffic, the neighborhood is perfect for visitors who want to experience the ambience of a medieval Spanish city.

4: Torre del Oro

No other structure in Seville better explains the role that the Guadalquivir River played during Spain’s colonial period than Torre del Oro, the Golden Tower. Seville owed much of its success in maritime trade to the navigable river, which offered ships more protection than a traditional European port. For centuries, a heavy chain was strung across the river from the tower to protect the city from seafaring invaders. Built in the early 1200’s, the watchtower’s name comes from the golden glow that the reflection of its building materials casts on the river. Today, the tower is home to a maritime museum that outlines the river’s importance throughout Seville’s history. Visitors can enjoy views of waterway and city from a rooftop viewing platform.

3: Seville’s Cathedral

Built on the site of a grand Almohad Mosque, Seville’s medieval cathedral was built to demonstrate Seville’s power and wealth after the Reconquista. At the time of its completion in the 16th century, it supplanted the Hagia Sophia as the largest cathedral in the world. It is still the third-largest church in Europe, and the biggest by volume. The mammoth Gothic structure features an altarpiece depicting the life of Jesus that includes more than 1,000 figures covered in gold leaf. The cathedral’s artistic treasures include Pedro de Campaña’s Descent from the Cross, Francisco de Zurbarán’s Santa Teresa and Bartolomé Esteban Murillo’s masterpiece, La Inmaculada. Within the church’s transept lies the tomb of Christopher Columbus.

2: Alcázar of Seville

Still used today by Spain’s Royal family on state occasions, the Alcazar complex of royal palaces, patios and gardens has undergone many transformations over its more than one-thousand-year history. In the 11th century, Muslim Moors constructed a palace on the site of a 10th-century fort, which was converted to a Gothic-style structure in the 13th century. One hundred years later, King Pedro hired Moorish craftsmen to rebuild and expand the palace in the Mudéjar style. From the starry design of the domed ceiling in the Salón de Embajadores (Ambassadors’ Hall) to the delicate arches and plasterwork of the Patio de las Doncellas (Patio of Maidens), the Palacio de Don Pedro is considered one of the top tourist attractions in Seville.

1: La Giralda

The Giralda is the only remaining structure of the 12th-century mosque torn down during the construction of the Seville Cathedral. Moors built the minaret with a series of ramps so that guards could ride to the top on horseback. Today, the 35 ramps make it easy for visitors to ascend to the summit to enjoy panoramic views of the city below. The bell tower is capped with a bronze weathervane called El Giraldillo, which is a symbol that represents the triumph of faith. The entrance to the tower is located in the cathedral’s northeastern corner.

For additional information, please visit the City of Seville’s officall website: www.sevilla.org