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| You can visit this city in our tour Spain & Morocco of 10days / nights |
The Alcázar of Seville (Spanish "Reales Alcázares de Sevilla" or "Royal Alcazars of Seville", is a royal palace in Seville, Spain, originally a Moorish fort. The palace is renown as one of the most beautiful in Spain. It is the oldest royal palace still in use in Europe, and it was registered in 1987 by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, along with the Seville Cathedral and the General Archive of the Indies.
The construction of the fort was ordered by Abd Al Ramn III, Caliph of Al-Andalus, in the year 913, which was changed into a fortified palace during the 11th century. In the 13th century, Seville now being in the hands of Castile, King Alfonso X ´the Wise´ extended it further.
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| 3D orientation map of the Alcazar palace, Seville - Andalusia, Spain. |
Pedro I, "the cruel" (1350 to 1369), made significant additions to the palace which is one of the most important examples of Mudejar architecture in Seville. The numerous rooms, patios and halls vary in architectural styles from the Islamic to Neoclassical. The beautiful gardens and fountains are specially worth visiting.
Also wanting to make their mark, the Alcázar was even further ´improved´ on by later kings; for example, the 16th century Emperor Charles V added elements in Gothic and Renaissance style to the palace.
Since the Alcázar has a century´s long history of expansions and renovations, one of the coolest things about it is it´s mixture of architectural styles. But the unavoidable highlight and an absolute must-see is the Mudejar Palace of Peter I (followed closely by the Gardens).
Interesting parts of the Alcazar
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| Horse shoe arches at the entrance of the ambassadors |
Arcos de Herradura (Horse Shoe arches): The Ambassadors Room is decorated with tiles and complex plaster work. It shows a beautiful example of the typical horse shoe arches.
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| El patio del yeso (plaster) |
El Patio del Yeso (The Plaster Patio): This beautiful, ornate garden full of flowers and streams maintains elements of the almohade architectural style of the Moors from the 12 century.
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| El patio de las doncellas (maidens) |
Salones de Carlos V (Rooms of Charles V): The rooms and chapel of Charles V are decorated with tapestries and coloured tiles from 16 Century.
El Patio de las Muñecas (The Patio of the Dolls): This patio with its bedrooms and adjacent corridors was the heart of the palace. It takes its name from the two tiny faces that decorate its arches.
The Gardens of the Alcazar Palace
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| Gardens of the Alcazar Palace |
These gardens, adorned with fountains and pavilions, provide shelter from the hustle and bustle of Seville.
Jardin Inglés (English gardens).
These gardens are modelled on those of the British Isles from
18 Century. The door to the Alcoba is of Islamic origin. The park was
built in 1909 and the main gardener of the Real Casa de Campo, Juan
Gras, was put in charge of planting the flowers. However, there are
doubts as to whether his radical style fits in with the surroundings.
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| The english gardens at the Alcazar palace |
Jardin de la Alcubilla (Garden of the Reservoir): This garden existed during the time of Charles V.
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| Jardin de la Alcubilla |
In 913 the Caliph of Al-Andalus (modern Andalusia) ordered the construction of a castle there, which was changed into a fortified palace during the 11th century. In the 13th century, Seville now being in the hands of Castile, King Alfonso X ´the Wise´ extended it further.
About a hundred years later, King Peter I
ordered the construction of one more palace on the site. Nowadays, this
gorgeous palace is considered to be one of the best remaining examples
of mudéjar architecture – a symbiosis of Christian and Moorish
techniques and architecture; the two cultures living side by side at the
time.
Also wanting to make their mark, the Alcázar was even further ´improved´ on by later kings; for example, the 16th century Emperor Charles V added elements in Gothic and Renaissance style to the palace.
Since
the Alcázar has a century´s long history of expansions and renovations,
one of the coolest things about it is it´s mixture of architectural
styles. But the unavoidable highlight and an absolute must-see is the
Mudejar Palace of Peter I (followed closely by the Gardens).
In 913 the Caliph of Al-Andalus (modern Andalusia) ordered the construction of a castle there, which was changed into a fortified palace during the 11th century. In the 13th century, Seville now being in the hands of Castile, King Alfonso X ´the Wise´ extended it further.
About a hundred years later, King Peter I
ordered the construction of one more palace on the site. Nowadays, this
gorgeous palace is considered to be one of the best remaining examples
of mudéjar architecture – a symbiosis of Christian and Moorish
techniques and architecture; the two cultures living side by side at the
time.
Also wanting to make their mark, the Alcázar was even further ´improved´ on by later kings; for example, the 16th century Emperor Charles V added elements in Gothic and Renaissance style to the palace.
Since
the Alcázar has a century´s long history of expansions and renovations,
one of the coolest things about it is it´s mixture of architectural
styles. But the unavoidable highlight and an absolute must-see is the
Mudejar Palace of Peter I (followed closely by the Gardens).
In 913 the Caliph of Al-Andalus (modern Andalusia) ordered the construction of a castle there, which was changed into a fortified palace during the 11th century. In the 13th century, Seville now being in the hands of Castile, King Alfonso X ´the Wise´ extended it further.
About a hundred years later, King Peter I
ordered the construction of one more palace on the site. Nowadays, this
gorgeous palace is considered to be one of the best remaining examples
of mudéjar architecture – a symbiosis of Christian and Moorish
techniques and architecture; the two cultures living side by side at the
time.
Also wanting to make their mark, the Alcázar was even further ´improved´ on by later kings; for example, the 16th century Emperor Charles V added elements in Gothic and Renaissance style to the palace.
Since
the Alcázar has a century´s long history of expansions and renovations,
one of the coolest things about it is it´s mixture of architectural
styles. But the unavoidable highlight and an absolute must-see is the
Mudejar Palace of Peter I (followed closely by the Gardens).
