Why Seville?

In Seville you will not only learn Spanish but you will enjoy its fantastic climate, its artistic heritage, many cultural activities, its people and traditions, a great environment…And much more. A ROUTE THROUGH THE STREETS OF SEVILLE Seville began even before the Romans built the city of Hispalis here, and it continued to flourish after Rome fell. With the arrival of Muslims from North Africa in the early 700s, Andalusia prospered under the Caliphate of Al-Andalus, a time of Spanish cultural achievement when Catholics, Jews, Arabs and Berbers all lived and worked together in complete religious freedom. In the early 1000s, while Seville was flowering under the rule of Al-Mutamid, the Poet-King, the caliphate began to break into separate states and the Christian kingdoms seized their chance to reconquer Spain. Of these kingdoms, Leon and Castille proved the strongest and united. They eventually sent the last of the Moors packing from Seville in 1248. Two centuries later, western Andalusia's location on the Atlantic made it the embarkation point for early explorers, including Columbus. When the riches began pouring in, Seville secured a trade monopoly with the New World for nearly 200 years, which accounts for its grandiose buildings. Seville’s three blockbusters – La Giralda, Seville Cathedral and the Alcazar – recall the millennium that spanned these dual golden ages. In its World Heritage Site listing, UNESCO says of he tower simply “The Giralda minaret is the masterpiece of Almohad architecture.” The climb to its top is not by stairs, but by ramp – after the 1248 reconquest, King Fernando III rode his horse to the top of survey his lands. Seville Cathedral is immense (measured by volume it’s bigger than St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome), with a staggering main altar just less than 120 feet tall, covered in carved statues and awash in New World gold. There’s more: the art-filled sacristy, intricate reliquaries and the tomb of Christopher Columbus held aloft be a quarter of giants. The Alcazar is not entirely what it appears to be – a Moorish palace. Yes, it was begun by the Moors in 712, but in the 1360s building was continued by King Pedro. For all Castille’s attempts to stamp out the remnants of its Islamic predecessors, when it came to building palaces they opted for the luxe, lush Moorish styles. This revival – really a continuation – is called Mudejar architecture, and Seville’s Alcazar is its finest example. Wander within its labyrinth of salons and patios, then take time in the garden – part of the original palace – to savour the scent of orange blossoms, another Moorish import. Along with history, nature endowed western Andalusia well. The Guadalquivir River flows past Seville on its way to the Atlantic, forming a large delta that is now Doñana National Park, another World Heritage Site and one of Europe’s most important wetland reserves. Its dunes, sandbars and marshes, often compared with the Everglades, are home to lynx, flamingoes, eagles and migrating birds from Africa. In short, the enticing sights, sounds and flavours of Southern Spain seduce the senses. DIVERSIONS Perhaps the greatest pleasure of Seville is simply wandering its streets and parks, stopping at a sidewalk café to watch life go by, or sitting on a park bench to listen to birds sing. North of La Giralda (the tower will be you beacon, since you can see it from all over the city) follow Calle Sierpes as it snakes through a tangle of narrow streets lined by little shops. Or head east into Santa Cruz, the former Judaria (Jewish Quarter) one of the most authentic traditional quarters in Seville now a preferred residential neighbourhood, crammed with whitewashed houses, picturesque manorial houses, privately-owned palatial homes, iron gratings, patios decorated with flowers and souvenirs shops. You can also walk past Carmen’s Tobacco Factory, now part of the University, and La Maestranza Bullring. For pure eye-candy, and a relaxing place to laze away a few hours, stroll along the river to Parque Maria Luisa, a green expanse of palms, pines, bright flowers, orange trees, pavilions and leafy cornes, bordered by the elegant buildings of a 1929 fair. None id more splendid than Plaza de España, an extravagance of colonnades, towers, bridges, pools and stairs decorated by azulejos, intensely colored tiles depicting Spanish provinces. PLACES TO VISIT Iglesia Santa María la Blanca Calle Santa María la Blanca Old synagogue consecrated for Catholic worship and reformed in the 17th century. Built in a baroque style, it contains valuable paintings such as The Supper by Murillo. Jardines de Murillo Avenida Menéndez y Pelayo The Murillo Gardens are adjacent to the gardens of the Alcázar. They are divided into three different areas: the Delicias gardens, with marble sculptures; the Catalina de Rivera gardens, with works by Juan Talavera, and the Murillo gardens themselves. Palacio de la Buhaira Avenida de la Buhaira Surrounded by olive trees, vines, and a variety of trees and fruit trees, the La Buhaira Palace is situated in the Avenida of the same name, in the district of Nervion. Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Avenida Eduardo Dato The Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán stadium is home to Sevilla Fútbol Club, the oldest local football team. It is situated in the district of Nervión, next to the Avenida Eduardo Dato. If you wish to know more about Seville, about its Culture and People, you can watch the following videos about the city:

 

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