Visiting the Alcazar of Seville

The Alcazar of Seville, the Royal Palace, is located at the end of the old town of Seville, directly opposite the cathedral. Originally it was built as a fortified palace by Abd-al-Rahman III, Emir and Caliph of Córdoba, in 913.

In the 11th century, Al-Mutamid, the king of Seville built the Alcázar, or what he called the Blessing Palace. For centuries it served as residence for many generations of monarchs. Nowadays it is the residence of the Royal Family during their stays in Seville.

Over the course of the centuries it became a complex of several palaces with beautiful courtyards. (Therefore, in Spanish one uses the term in the plural, the Reales Alcázares de Sevilla). Still today, many architectural features Moorish-style can be recognized.

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It is the oldest palace in Europe, which is still used today. Since 1987 it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Alcazar lies behind the palace wall. We enter the Alcazar by the lion gate, the La Puerta de Leons and reaches the lion court.

To the right is the so-called Room of the Admiral in the Casa de Contratación, the House of Trade. It was built around 1503 to regulate the trade with the new colonies. Here, once met Ferdinand and Isabella with Columbus after his second trip.

To the left is the Justice Hall, La Sala de Justicia. The yard of Monteria, Patio de la Montería leads to the palace of Peter I, Palacio mudéjar o de Pedro I.

Originally built in 1364, the palace is an excellently preserved example of Mudejar architecture, a combination of Christian architecture with Moorish elements.

Next to it is the Palace of Charles V, Palacio Gótico. Here, the marriage of Emperor Charles V and Isabella of Portugal took place in 1526.

Highlight of the Alcazar of Seville are the gardens, originally dating back to Charles V. The impressive gardens have undergone several stages of development, so that you can admire the influences of horticultural art of Arabia, France and Britain today.

Fountains, watercourses, grottos and shady trees provide relaxation from the hustle and heat of the city. In Game of Thrones they represent the famous water gardens of Dorne.

During our stay the flows of visitors keeps within reasonable limits so that we can take our time to visit the fantastic buildings and gardens.

Although the thermometer rises over 40 degrees Celsius during our visit, the temperature in the Alcazar of Seville is very tolerable.

You should plan enough time for a visit because there is a lot to discover.

The Alcazar de Seville as well as the Plaza de Espana served to be filming locations for the movie Lawrence of Arabia.

Please read on> Exploring the city center of Seville and the old town

Have you visited the Alcazar of Seville? What did you like best? Please leave a comment below

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