In its historic centre, on the Plaza de la Virgen de los Reyes, stands the city’s most important and impressive sight, La Giralda. Originally the minaret of the old mosque, it was then turned into the cathedral’s tower. The cathedral itself is a huge building of great beauty combining many different architectural styles. Construction work began in 1401, when the city suffered from continuous plague outbreaks.

Opposite the cathedral stands the Palacio Arzobispal  and beside it the Archivo de Indias, a Renaissance-style archive building with a fine collection of documents and maps bound up with the Discovery of America. Also alongside the cathedral stand two fine palaces, the Palacio de los Reales Alcázares and, especially, the Palacio de don Pedro, built on the order of Peter I the Cruel and still used by the Royal Family on its city visits.

The Torre del Oro, built in the first third of the thirteenth century, is the city’s other flagship building. Alongside this tower stands the city’s famous bullring, the Plaza de toros de la Maestranza. After the Avenida del Cid we come to the Parque de María Luisa and the Plaza de España.

Apart from its sights, however, Seville is also famous for its districts, especially those of Triana and Santa Cruz. The latter used to be the Jewish district. The Iglesia de Santa María la Blanca, a church built over an old synagogue, contains Murillo’s famous painting of the Last Supper. Roaming around both districts, soaking up the atmosphere of their cafeterias, bars and shops is a different way of wiling away a Sunday morning .

© Alhena Media