Its first architect was master pug, a native of normandy. Torre giralda seville 2020 all you need to know before. Experience one of seville s top attractions during a smallgroup tour in the company of an art historian guide. The bell tower is in renaissance style and was designed by hernan ruiz in the 16th century. The project gutenberg ebook of the story of seville, by walter m. The history of seville is the history of spain, and if i have omitted many. Inside, with the longest nave in spain, is decorated with lavish way, with profusion of gold.
Its construction started in 1184 after the command of the sultan of maroc, abu yaqub yusuf. Builders reutiliserent elements and columns of the mosque and transformed into campanile its minaret, the famous giralda tower, today a symbol of the city. Icon of seville, the magnificent giralda was the tallest building in the city for over 800 years, dominating the skyline at 103m. The tower was built between 1184 and 1198, modelled after the tower of the koutoubia mosque of marrakesh. The minaret was the culmination of almohad architecture and served as a.
An expert travel guide to seville telegraph travel the telegraph. In 56, the four bronze spheres that had crowned the tower fell to the ground and were destroyed. The alcazar, the mosque, the lordly giralda tower and other remains testify to the. Hartley were prepared while i was gathering material for the book in seville, and the. The giralda of seville the giralda of seville is the minaret of the old almohad mosque of the city. Coinciding with the baroque period of european history, the 17th century in seville represented the most brilliant flowering of the citys culture. When the arabs left, the mosque was transformed in a church, the giralda became its bell tower and the christians placed a cross and a bell on top of it. Learn about the history of the cathedral and admire its collection of important artworks. The tower, like that of seville cathedral, replaced a longago minaret. Learn more than you would if exploring independently, enjoy personal attention, and beat the typically long queues thanks to skiptheline privileges, which especially benefits travelers with limited time in the region. It was built as the minaret for the great mosque of seville in alandalus, moorish spain, during the reign of the almohad dynasty, with a renaissance style top added by the catholics after the expulsion of the muslims from the area.
Many towers have borrowed from the giraldas design throughout history. The giralda is the bell tower of the cathedral of seville. If youre traveling to sevilla or spain your first thought may be a guide book. The cathedral of saint mary of the see better known as seville cathedral, is a roman catholic.
Seville, proud of its beauty, has been so stung by browns. History oozes through sevilles pores, with ancient moorish walls. Originally built in 1195 as the minaret of the aljama mosque, it is now the belltower of the cathedral, and is recognised as world heritage by unesco. Book your private monumental seville walking tour additions to the original building. During the 16th century, a renaissance section was added to include more bells. The lower section of the giralda is the originally built by the muslims. At the end of the tour, climb to the top of giralda tower to soak up. The giralda tower is the symbol of seville seville traveller.