Seville Part 1: the Cathedral and Giralda

We recently had the opportunity to visit the city of Seville... without children! We did a baby-sitting exchange with our neighbor, so that each couple was able to do some child-free traveling. We had an amazing day, and were able to see so much more than we ever would with tired cranky little ones tagging along. We enjoyed the Plaza d'Espana, the Archaeology Museum, the Cathedral, and the Alcazar Palace... as well as delicious tapas and drinks! So I actually have to break Seville into several blog posts to do it justice. First up is what was, for me, the focus of the trip-- the Cathedral. 

Entry fee to Cathedral, which includes access to Giralda, Treasury, etc: 8 Euro per person 

Seville's cathedral, like many in Spain, is built on the site of a former mosque. Most of the mosque was destroyed in an earthquake before the Christian site was constructed, although the Orange Courtyard remains essentially the same, you can still recognize the Moorish architecture in the domes of the building and the arches and windows. And of course, the famous Giralda bell tower is the former minaret of the mosque. The Giralda was added onto and re-decorated in several stages, but it is clearly the minaret that used to call Muslims to worship.

 

The cathedral was constructed between 1402 and 1506. During that time, Spain discovered the New World and enjoyed its Golden Age, and most of the gold from the New World flowed through the city of Seville. The cathedral was intended to be a display of wealth and beauty that would be considered almost crazy. When it was completed, it replaced the Hagia Sophia in Turkey as the largest cathedral in the world.  The nave (main aisle) is the longest in Spain, and the 3rd largest in the world. The ceilings are high (42 meters) intricately carved and decorated. The building is fairly dark inside, due to very few stained glass windows. It also has a somewhat complicated design, since it is laid out in the shape of a cross, and gives the impression of being as wide as it is long. There are 80 chapels, all with their own theme and unique artwork! The picture here shows the view down just one side aisle.

 Inside, there are numerous works of art, ridiculously ornate carvings, and an entire chapel covered in gold. There were so many details to catch our attention, but I will highlight just two here: the ornate altarpiece behind the choir, and the tomb of Christopher Columbus. The altarpiece covers the entire back of the choir area, and uses various colors of marble with carvings, bas-relief, and paintings depicting scenes from the life of Christ. Apparently it was the life's work of one artist: Pierre Dancart. 

Columbus's tomb is actually carried by 4 figures, wearing the lion heraldry of King Ferdinand and the Castle symbol of Queen Isabella. Although he died in somewhat a state of disgrace, having been rejected by the Caribbean islands as an inhumane governor, Christopher Columbus is still a hero in Spanish history because he obviously discovered the Americas and brought enormous wealth to Spain. During the Golden Age, Seville was the economic capital of Spain, and all imports from the New World were sent directly upriver to this inland city. The lion and castle images are all over the city, and throughout the Cathedral as well.

If you climb the Giralda (which we did!) you will have spectacular views of the city and the Cathedral itself. The inside of the bell tower is actually filled with a series of ramps (about 32 of them) which make for a somewhat breath-taking and crowded climb. You see different aspects of the Cathedral from each side of the Giralda. From this angle, the cross layout is clear, even though from the street it looks like one enormously long building. However, the dome is not where you expect it--in the center. Instead, the main dome is off to the side of the Giralda. The dome collapsed almost immediately after the church was constructed, and then again after the Earthquake of 1888. 

Looking down into the Orange Courtyard from the Giralda, you can see the Moorish arches that surround this part of the complex. The trees provide shade and fragrance, which were essential elements to Moorish patios, and there are several small fountains among them to provide additional coolness and the refreshing sound of water. The lines you see on the pavement are in fact small irrigation trenches that run to every tree. It is so interesting to see Muslim influence on such an impressive Cathedral. But it is a beautiful structure, and certainly worth a visit! I hope you get to see it sometime soon!