Much to my amazement, there is a kind of moat with water in front of the decorative, semi-circular government building in the Plaza de Espana. College aged kids were having a ball rowing to their hearts’ content, having races with each other, or just trying their best to maneuver the craft. There are arched bridges over that water whose railings and spindles are made of ceramic material. They make for a pretty foreground to the curved building behind. The building has sections on the ground, along the curved foundation, showing old maps of each area of Spain, with ceramic tiles above, on the wall, depicting life in the corresponding area of Spain. The ground in the courtyard had geometric designs made with small black and white rocks. Taken all together, it made for an attractive setting. Waiting in front was a line of horse-drawn carriages for hire.

From there, we set out to find the Catedral (Cathedral), and passed some other landmarks along the way. In the Parque de Maria Luisa, someone was taking advantage of a horse and carriage ride down a tree-lined dirt road. Talk about picturesque!

The façade of Palacio de San Telmo, originally a naval college, now the Office of the Presidency, was very ornate, with the center section all in white. The Casino, dominating a corner, was round and big, while the University building had little decorative spires all around the perimeter of the flat roof. We walked through Hotel Alfonso XIII to check it out, and found beautiful ceilings of carved wood, and up a short flight of stairs at the back of the lobby, was an outdoor courtyard with blooming flowers. It was elegant! Taking a wrong turn and passing by Teatro Maestranza, and the Hospital de la Caridad, we finally came to the Cathedral.

It was necessary to walk around the Cathedral to find the right entrance to go in, and following a tour group didn’t help because they had a separate entrance. The Cathedral of Seville is the third largest in the world after St Peter’s in Rome and St Paul’s in London. It had a huge golden altarpiece, hand-carved over the life of the artist, and a room with some El Greco paintings, as well as some by other artists. On one side were four statues out of bronze, whose clothing looked real, but wasn’t, carrying a casket high on their shoulders. Christopher Columbus is supposed to be in there, but he has been moved so much, no one is sure anymore.

Outside we searched for Bario de Santo Cruz, the old Jewish Quarter, and walked through the maze of narrow, cobblestone streets, enjoying the flowers along the way. It was very quaint!

That was all we had time for, but we wish we had seen more. It is a beautiful city and well worth spending a full day or two enjoying the sights!




Recommended: Yes