After Cádiz, we headed north to Sevilla; a city I had wanted to visit
for a very long time. There it was;
finally waiting for me. Welcome to one of the
most charming cities of Spain. Sevilla’s
rich history has left the city with innumerable and unique monuments like the
awesome Alcazar palace and its unique brand of architecture. The region’s passion for bullfighting and the
perfume of orange blossoms are present on every corner of this amazing city.
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A Coutryard in the Alcazar Palace |
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Seville Architecture |
Sevilla is the capital and largest city of
Andalusia. It is situated on the plain
of the River Guadalquivir. The river was an
important harbour during the Spanish conquest of the American continent. Silver and gold from the New World arrived to
Sevilla through the river and were distributed throughout the country from
here.
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The Guadalquivir River |
Sevilla
has a metropolitan population of about 1.5 million, making it the fourth
largest city in Spain. The Sevilla
harbour, located about 80 kilometres from the Atlantic Ocean, is the only river
port in Spain.
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The City of Sevilla |
Like all great cities, Sevilla has many historical
layers. Records indicate that Sevilla
was founded as the Roman city of Hispalis.
Roman ruins testify the settlement’s earliest period. The Moorish era is still very present in the
Santa Cruz quarter. All these remarkable
places about Sevilla make this city an exceptional place to see.
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Roman Ruins Below the Metropol Parasol |
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Remains of the Roman Presence in Sevilla |
After
the discovery of the Americas, Sevilla became one of the economic centres of
the Spanish empire. In 1519, Ferdinand
Magellan departed from Sevilla for the first circumnavigation of the Earth. A gradual economic and demographic decline began
to take place as silting in the Guadalquivir forced the trade monopoly to
relocate to the nearby port of Cádiz.
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Today's Guadalquivir River is for the Tourists |
In
2004 the Metropol Parasol project was launched to revitalise the Plaza de la
Encarnación. The project was completed
in March 2011.
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Model of the Metropol Parasol |
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The Real Metropol Parasol |
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Inside the Parasol |
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On Top of the Parasol |
The
Semana Santa (Holy Week) and the Feria de Sevilla are the two most well-known
of Sevilla's festivals. Traditionally,
women wear elaborate Flamenco dresses and men dress in their best suits.
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Traditional festive Outfit |
We
spent two nights in Sevilla giving us ample time to discover the city and spend
some time discovering the marvels of the Alcazar. The
Alcázar of Sevilla is one of the most representative monumental compounds in
the city. It is a fortified palace which construction was ordered by Abd Al Ramn
III in the year 913. This is one of the most visited complexes in the
World and one of the oldest European Royal Palaces that are still in use.
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One of the Entries of the Alcazar |
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The Magnificent Alcazar |
Because of its beauty,
it was chosen as residence by many monarchs in the centuries that
followed. It now is the residence of His
Royal Majesty Juan Carlos when he visits Sevilla. The palace was used as
a location for a number of scenes for the successful TV series “Game of Thrones”.
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Sublime Architecture |
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The Perfect Place to Enjoy Peace, Meditation and Harmony |
The
tapas scene is one of the main cultural attractions of the city. People
go from one bar to another, enjoying small dishes called tapas. Local specialities include fried and grilled
seafood (including squid, cuttlefish, swordfish, grilled or stewed meat, lamb
kidneys in sherry sauce, snails and gazpacho.
Meanwhile, buskers entertain the crowds with their unique Andalusian
Music.
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Buskers Entertaining the Crowds |
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More Street Entertainment |
Bitter
Seville oranges grow on trees lining the city streets. Formerly, large quantities were collected and
exported to Britain to be used in marmalade. Today the fruit is used predominantly as
compost rather than as a foodstuff. According
to legend, the Arabs brought the bitter orange to Seville from East Asia via
Iraq around the 10th century to beautify and perfume their patios and gardens,
as well as to provide shade. The flowers
of the tree are a source of Neroli Oil, commonly used in perfumery and in skin
lotions for massage.
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Seville Bitter Orange Trees - Courtesy Google Images |
Sevilla
had a unique feel about her. History, ancient
and modern architecture, gastronomy, fire, passion and a deep sense of
pride. I was charmed by this vibrant and
welcoming place.
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