Seville Cathedral

Seville, Spain

Seville's cathedral, Santa Maria de la Sede, is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world, and is recognised as UNESCO World Heritage. After its completion in the early 16th century, Seville Cathedral supplanted Hagia Sophia as the largest cathedral in the world, a title the Byzantine church had held for nearly a thousand years.

History

The basilica occupies the site of the great Aljama mosque, built in the late 12th century by the Almohads, the ruling Moorish dynasty, of which the only remaining parts are the Patio de Naranjas, the Puerta del Perdon (on Calle Alemanes, on the north side), and the Giralda (formerly the minaret, now the belltower).

Shortly after Seville's conquest by Ferdinand III, the mosque was converted into the city's cathedral. Its orientation was changed and its spaces partitioned and adorned to suit Christian worship practices. The internal space was gradually divided into chapels by constructing walls in the bays along the northern and southern walls. Almost the entire eastern half of the cathedral was occupied by the royal chapel that would hold the bodies of Ferdinand, his wife and Alfonso the Wise.

In 1401, city leaders decided to build a new cathedral to replace the grand mosque that served as the cathedral until then. Construction continued until 1506. The clergy of the parish offered half their stipends to pay for architects, artists, stained glass artisans, masons, carvers, craftsman and labourers and other expenses. Five years after construction ended, in 1511, the crossing lantern, or cimborrio, collapsed and work on the cathedral recommenced. The crossing again collapsed in 1888 due an earthquake, and work on the dome continued until at least 1903.

Architecture

The interior has the longest nave of any cathedral in Spain. The central nave rises to a height of 42 metres. In the main body of the cathedral, the most noticeable features are the great boxlike choir loft, which fills the central portion of the nave, and the vast Gothic retablo of carved scenes from the life of Christ. This altarpiece was the lifetime work of a single craftsman, Pierre Dancart.

The Capilla Mayor (Great Chapel), dominated by a vast Gothic retablo (altarpiece) comprised of 45 carved scenes from the life of Christ, as well as Santa Maria de la Sede, the cathedral's patron saint. The lifetime's work of a single craftsman, Pierre Dancart, this is the ultimate masterpiece of the cathedral - the largest and richest altarpiece in the world and one of the finest examples of Gothic woodcarving anywhere.

The Giralda is the bell tower of the Cathedral of Seville. Its height is 105 m. The Giralda is the former minaret of the mosque that stood on the site under Muslim rule, and was built to resemble the minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakech, Morocco. It was converted into a bell tower for the cathedral after the Reconquista, although the topmost section dates from the Renaissance.

The tomb of Christopher Columbus is one of the main attractions of the cathedral for visitors, housing the remains of the great explorer who died in poverty in Valladolid. The tomb itself is more recent, from the 1892, with four bearers presenting the kingdoms of Castile, Leon, Aragon and Navarra.

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Founded: 1401
Category: Religious sites in Spain

Rating

4.8/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Jeroen van Dam (6 months ago)
Beautiful religious monument in the heart of Sevilla. We went on a rainy afternoon and this was a great escape from the rain. You can freely walk around, see the tomb of Christopher Columbus, admire the lavish high altar, and be amazed by the way the sunlight coming through the stained glass brightens up the interior in colorful light.
Isaac Archuleta (6 months ago)
A must see! One of the most impressive structures in all of Spain. Recommend buying tickets from their website at least a week in advance. It will be crowded, so I'd recommend seeing the tower first, as it is close to the entrance. Buy an audioguide to truly appreciate everything you see, otherwise it can be overwhelming.
Leon T (6 months ago)
I joined a tour of the rooftop of the cathedral and it was really worth it. Since the rooftop is never publicly available, I decided to sign up for the tour that really had me hopping around so many different parts of the cathedral. The highlight is really seeing the cathedral from a peephole from the top. Even though the tile was really small, it’s actually quite big in reality and if u r lucky you can see a visitor walk past and he/she is so tiny!!! Of course you get the unparalleled view of the neighbouring Giralda clock tower. Never did I get such a good photo spot for the tower from anywhere else in the city. Of course the cathedral itself is marvellous, full of gorgeous regalia that just wows you, and of course the tomb of Christopher Columbus himself! Such an inspiring place to visit!
Igor Matias (7 months ago)
Absolutely worth visiting! Include the tower in your ticket, as the views will be amazing. Inside the cathedral, you will love the details and all the well-worked ceilings, walls, and floors. Do not forget to check out the tomb of Columbus.
Polina Osipova (10 months ago)
Breathtakingly beautiful! So much to see, could easily spend 2+ hours inside. Stunning architecture, a lot of interesting art pieces. If you can plan your trip in advance, buy tickets online (a little cheaper - 11euro adult vs 12euro at the door, 6 vs 7 euro for seniors; also can bypass the line). The line from the gate to the ticket booth took about 15 minutes. Admission includes the tower - about 35 flights up, but through a ramp, no stairs, except for the very last flight.
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