1492 & Ferdinand & Isabella ...

We found Seville to be the most enjoyable city in Spain that we visited. Since it's way south, it's warmer there, and the city is full of orange trees. (The one pictured was in the Patio de los Naranjos just adjacent to the cathedral.) It was in Seville in 1492 that the famous Spanish monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, planned and then launched their military campaign to conquer Granada from the Moors. Right next door to the cathedral is the Alcazar, the fort and royal palace, first used by the Moors, and then by the Catholic monarchs.

The Cathedral was originally a Muslim mosque, but after the Moors surrendered it was rather quickly converted into a Roman Catholic place of worship. When the cathedral was first conceived by architects in 1402, it was planned to be so large and so grandiose that "future generations will think we were mad." When first built it was the largest Gothic cathedral in the world, and now is only third to St. Peter's in Rome and St. Paul's in London. The "Giralda," originally the minaret for the mosque, is a tower about 90 meters tall and can be climbed by a series of ramps that ascend to the top. (We climbed it and took some pictures of the city below.) In touring the cathedral we rented audio guides and got the "full picture" of the significance of all of the small "chapels" that are around the perimeter of the main sanctuary. Stained glass windows (not pictured) were impressive!

We found many walks in the city suggested by our guidebook. One of them took us down to the Rio Guadilquivir and then to the Plaza de Espana which we found particularly beautiful.

The many plazas in Seville -- most with restaurants with outdoor seating in the sun -- were among the most delightful aspects of the city. Another interesting feature in Seville were the many horse-carts that lined the streets and were readily available for tourists who wanted to explore the city in style! As for the abundant orange trees, the fruit looked ripe in December, and we were told that anyone could pick oranges and enjoy the results! Oh yes ... "In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue ..." And as a result of how highly he was honored in Spain after his journeys, his remains are contained in what looks like a royal casket within the cathedral in Seville. - rw