Plaza de Santa Marta

We were off to an early to the Royal Alcazar, Seville’s Royal Palace was originally a Moorish fort built in the 10th century by the first Caliph of Andalucía. Quite a lot of people but this place is huge so it sops them up. we were booked for tour of the upper floor apartments which are currently used by the current monarchs when they are in town/wanting to use it. We were allowed in with a small group and a security guard after undergoing basic screening and putting our backpacks in a locker. It really is an amazing place, Although the Moors mosque was destroyed and the palace built, the detailing is very much from the Arabic world with intricate lacy carvings and a lot of tiling. There was a history of the evolution of tile and porcelain and the interaction between the style and colouration of china between cultures eg Spanish, Oriental, Netherlands (evolution of Delft, always attempting to replicate the fine porcelains of the Orient). Gardens very large and beautiful, years in the making, impossible to capture the castle and gardens in pictures.

The construction of the current Royal Alcázar began in the 14th century. It is the best example of Mudejar architectural style in Spain, although Islamic, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque elements can be found as well..

The site was initially a Roman settlement, later used by the Visigoths. In 712 Seville was conquered by the Arabs, who transformed the building in a palace-fortress. When Fernando III of Castile regained the city in 1248, the Alcázar became the Royal Palace. His son, Alfonso X, initiated the first works and ordered the construction of the Gothic Palace.

Later on, in 1364, Pedro I of Castile, decided to build the Mudejar Palace, definitely the best building of this architectural style in Spain. It’s characterized by being a mixture between Muslim and Christian elements, resulting in a unique design that can be found only in Spain and, to a minor extent, in Portugal.

The Alcázar has been used in many occasions by the Kings of Spain. Even Juan Carlos I, used it in 1995 for the reception and wedding dinner of his eldest daughter, Elena.Read more