A History of Sevilla

The city of Sevilla was founded over 2,000 years ago and is located in south of Spain bordering the Guadalquivir River. It is also the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia. Sevilla is a city with a strong medieval, renaissance, and baroque heritage, but more than all those it has a very heavy Arabic influence which can still be seen in most of the cities famous monuments.

During the early years of Sevilla it was known as Hispalis and was occupied by the Phoenicians, the Greeks, and later the Carthaginians. In 205 B.C. the city was conquered by the Romans and served as a residential city much like the city of Italica, which is located just outside modern-day Sevilla. Sevilla even boasts remnants of a Roman aqueduct. The city remained under Roman rule for seven centuries until it was conquered by the Islamic Moors. The most influential culture in Sevilla’s history is that of the Moorish era. The city was conquered in 712 and was named Išbīliya, which is derived for the Roman name of Hispalis. After the Moors took over the Iberian Peninsula, Sevilla became an important center in Al-Andalus, or Moorish Spain. Sevilla was under Moorish rule from the 8th century until the 13th century. In 1248, during the time of the Reconquista, King Fernando III of Castile triumphed over the Moors and gained control of Sevilla. At this time the majority of Spain was reclaimed from the Moors and Spain was under the rule of one monarch. In 1492 Christopher Columbus began his expedition to the New World from the port of Sevilla, resulting in all goods imported from the New World to pass exclusively through the city. In the hundred years following Columbus’ voyage to the Americas, Sevilla became a very prosperous city with a population nearing the one million mark. In the late 16th century the city of Cadiz was also authorized as port of trade causing Sevilla to slow its growth. Sevilla remained an economically stable city from the 17th century until the 20th century, with normal population growth and increasing industrialization. In 1929 Sevilla hosted the Ibero-American Exhibition, which is when the famous Plaza de España was built depicting all the regions of Spain. Later on during the Spanish Civil War, Sevilla fell to General Francisco Franco in 1936. General Franco remained in power from 1936 until his death in November of 1975, when power was restored to King Juan Carlos. After Spain was returned to the Spanish Monarch, Sevilla like all of Spain began to heal from the harsh times of communist rule. In more recent history Sevilla hosted the Worlds Fair in 1992 (Expo ’92) and commemorated the 500th anniversary of the discovery of the Americas by Christopher Columbus.

Sevilla is home to many of the most beautiful and interesting monuments in Spain. One of those is the Cathedral of Sevilla, also known as Catedral de Santa Maria de la Sede. After the Reconquista of Sevilla in 1248 the city began a process of reconversion to Christianity and most mosques where converted in to churches. The Cathedral is located on the site of the former great Moslem mosque. Construction on the cathedral began in July of 1401 and continued for four centuries. The cathedral is the largest place of worship in all of Spain and the third largest in the world. It was designed in late Gothic style and consists of five large naves, 80 chapels, and is filled with vast treasures. Many valuable painting, including works by Murillo, Valdés Leal, Zurbarán and many others are found inside the cathedral, but this isn’t the only reason this cathedral is so famous. The cathedral is also the final resting place of many famous people including Christopher Columbus and the patron saint of Sevilla King Fernando III. Since the cathedral was built on the location of the old mosque some elements were used for the new church, one of them being the Giralda Tower.

The Giralda tower is part of the Catedral de Santa Maria de la Sede and serves as the cathedral’s bell tower, but during the Moorish era the Giralda tower was erected as a minaret. The tower stands 320 ft. tall and is one of the most important symbols in the city of Sevilla. The tower is made of brick and stone and embellished with Moorish art. The first two-thirds of the tower is part of the former minaret and the upper third is of Spanish Renaissance architecture. The statue at the very top of the tower called the Triumph of the Faith and moves in the wind which is how the tower gets its name. The top section of the tower is called the Lily Section which now houses the bell. To get to the top of The Giralda one must climb a ramp, not stairs. The tower was made with a ramp so a donkey could carry a man up to the top of tower to call out for prayer during the time the Moors were in control. From the top of the tower one can see the whole city of Sevilla.

Another beautiful landmark is the Alcázar of Sevilla. Originally a Moorish fort it later became a royal palace, King Fernando III and Queen Isabella lived here for some time and even welcomed home Christopher Columbus when he returned from the New World in the Alcázar. The upper levels are still in use by the royal family as the official Sevilla residence. The palace is one of the best remaining examples of mudéjar architecture which dates back to 1326 and over the years many past monarchs have added their own touches to the building. The Alcázar contains many different patios and rooms such as El Patio de las Doncellas which means The Courtyard of the Maidens, Los Baños de Doña María de Padilla which means Bath of Lady María de Padilla, Casa de Contratación which means The House of Trade, and many others. The palace also contains many gardens, fountains, reflecting pool, and famous art works.

Sevilla is a city rich in history, unique architecture, many different cultures, and traditions. It’s a city that is really worth learning about and visiting.