Salvador Church, Seville, Spain - SpottingHistory.com

The Salvador church was erected on the remains of the Ibn Adabba, the Great Mosque of Muslim Seville (9th century). This religious temple, as well as its surroundings, had great importance in the daily life of the people, which is why when the Christians conquered Seville, they allowed it to be used as a mosque in the beginning, but in 1340, it was converted into the parish of Salvador.

In addition, it was agreed to maintain the ostentatious rank of the second temple of the city; for it was granted a collegiate character. Thus, this building would continue to be used religiously until 1671, when the passage of time left it strongly deteriorated. Its construction as we see it today began in 1674 with the architect Esteban García. Work ended in 1712 under the architect Leonardo de Figueroa.

References:

Visit Sevilla

Religious sites in Spain

User Reviews

David McChang (2 years ago)
Heavy on the gold paint and cherubs ! Nice if you like that sort of thing. Main advantage is if you go here and get a combo ticket for here and the Cathedral it saves queuing.

Maureen Smith (2 years ago)
Your breath is literally taken away as you enter this spectacular church. The architecture is quite overwhelming. A wonderful place to sit and reflect and pray.

Jonathan H (2 years ago)
Dare I say it...we think we might have preferred this church to the cathedral. More accessible, less people. Very beautiful. And you can buy your Cathedral entry tickets from here saving yourself a lot of time.

Gearóid McGauran (2 years ago)
What a stunning hidden gem! We went here to get a combo ticket for this and the main cathedral so we didn't have to queue for ages at the main cathedral. But the altars in this cathedral are more spectacular than the main cathedral. Really jawdropping!

Barbara Tagliavini (2 years ago)
A "hidden" gem in Seville. One of the most beautiful churches of the city and it mustn't be overlooked. You will be surprised once you walk in. Rich, gorgeous, awe-inspiring. One of my most cherished memories of the many churches and sights visited.

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Lednice Castle

The first historical record of Lednice locality dates from 1222. At that time there stood a Gothic fort with courtyard, which was lent by Czech King Václav I to Austrian nobleman Sigfried Sirotek in 1249.

At the end of the 13th century the Liechtensteins, originally from Styria, became holders of all of Lednice and of nearby Mikulov. They gradually acquired land on both sides of the Moravian-Austrian border. Members of the family most often found fame in military service, during the Renaissance they expanded their estates through economic activity. From the middle of the 15th century members of the family occupied the highest offices in the land. However, the family’s position in Moravia really changed under the brothers Karel, Maximilian, and Gundakar of Liechtenstein. Through marriage Karel and Maximilian acquired the great wealth of the old Moravian dynasty of the Černohorskýs of Boskovice. At that time the brothers, like their father and grandfather, were Lutheran, but they soon converted to Catholicism, thus preparing the ground for their rise in politics. Particularly Karel, who served at the court of Emperor Rudolf II, became hetman of Moravia in 1608, and was later raised to princely status by King Matyas II and awarded the Duchy of Opava.

During the revolt of the Czech nobility he stood on the side of the Habsburgs, and took part in the Battle of White Mountain. After the uprising was defeated in 1620 he systematically acquired property confiscated from some of the rebels, and the Liechtensteins became the wealthiest family in Moravia, rising in status above the Žerotíns. Their enormous land holdings brought them great profits, and eventually allowed them to carry out their grandious building projects here in Lednice.

In the 16th century it was probably Hartmann II of Liechtenstein who had the old medieval water castle torn down and replaced with a Renaissance chateau. At the end of the 17th century the chateau was torn down and a Baroque palace was built, with an extensive formal garden, and a massive riding hall designed by Johann Bernard Fischer von Erlach that still stands in almost unaltered form.

In the mid-18th century the chateau was again renovated, and in 1815 its front tracts that had been part of the Baroque chateau were removed.

The chateau as it looks today dates from 1846-1858, when Prince Alois II decided that Vienna was not suitable for entertaining in the summer, and had Lednice rebuilt into a summer palace in the spirit of English Gothic. The hall on the ground floor would serve to entertain the European aristocracy at sumptuous banquets, and was furnished with carved wood ceilings, wooden panelling, and select furniture, surpassing anything of its kind in Europe.

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