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Europe Destination Guide (TravelNow)
Passport and visas
requirements (TravelNow)
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Above
photo - Domed ceiling in the Salon
de Embajadores, a room in the Reales
Alcazares.
Long before
Seville was taken from the Moors
by Fernando III in 1248, Seville
was called "Hispalis"
by the Romans and "
Ishbiliya" by the Muslims.
You can still see
Seville's Roman and Muslim past
in the city today. The Moors' Giralda
Tower
is now the bell tower for the Cathedral and if you look closely
at its base, you will find it
built on a foundation of Roman
blocks. |
Photo
above: The Bell Tower at the top
of the Giralda
Tower.
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As the capital of the Moorish
Kingdom under the Almohads and then
the port of entry for the America's goods
under the Christian kings, Seville became
a prosperous city. In fact, until the
1700's it was considered the most
important city in Spain.
The
Plaza de
Espana
inspired George Lucas's vision for the
Planet Naboo.
Today, Seville is very much a modern
city, with its AVI (high speed train)
access to Madrid and the introduction of
a high tech garbage collection system.
But, unlike other major cities where much
of the old has been neglected or
renovated to the point its lineage is no
longer recognizable, sections of Seville
retain the past. In parts of the old town
of Seville (Santa
Cruz district) it is possible to walk
through vibrant ancient streets and
imagine you are in an old Spanish village.
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