Spain & Portugal Travel Part VI: Seville
Spain & Portugal Travel Part VI: Seville
Seville
Day 6 Saturday, 27 October 2018
On this day, we left Lisbon in Portugal in the morning and headed for Seville in Spain which is located 450 km in the south-east. It might take 4 hours and 30 minutes to reach the city.
Map showing the location of Seville in Spain
Visiting Seville on Saturday, 27 October 2018
Lunch at Badajoz, Spain
After travelling over two hours from Lisbon in Portugal, we stopped at Badajoz in Spain for lunch at a restaurant known as El Chozo Extremeno. Badajoz is about 226 km east of Lisbon and near the Spain-Portugal border.
El Chozo Extremeno Restaurant
Tour group having lunch at El Chozo Extremeno Restaurant, Badajoz, Spain
One of the Dishes
Grilled chicken with potato was one of the dishes served at the restaurant.
Grilled Chicken at the Restaurant
Grilled chicken with potato, one of the dishes at El Chozo Extremeno Restaurant in Badajoz
Photos of Tourmates for Group Album
At the restaurant, I had the chance to take photos of all my tourmates, as shown below.
Clockwise: Sze Yee, Chian Perng, Ling Ling and Kwai Lian
Clockwise: Chee Mei, Yoon Khow, Siew Peng and Ah Mooi
Clockwise: Hei Meng, Kim Fat, Guik Joo and Hung Heong
Clockwise: Fung Ling, Fok Foy, See Kim and Gan Boon
Clockwise: Stzu Chiang, Roland, Ah Chee and Hoe Seng
Clockwise: Geik Peng, Yit Fah, Yoon Fah and Choo Chaw(writer)
After lunch in Badajoz, we continued our journey to Seville in the south-east, another 210 km to go.
Manuel, the Seville Tour Guide
When we reached Seville, it was late in the afternoon and we met Manuel, a local tour-guide. Fearing that the Seville Cathedral might close soon, we walked together to the cathedral, quickly.
Manuel, a Seville tour-guide
Manuel, the Seville tour-guide
Seville Cathedral
When we reached the cathedral, we were relieved to be told that we had enough time to see the cathedral.
Seville Cathedral or Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See, a Roman Catholic church, is the largest Gothic Church, and 3rd. largest church in the world. It was built from 1401 until 1528 on the site of a Moorish mosque retaining some Moorish parts of the old mosque.
Seville Cathedral
Seville Cathedral built from 1401 until 1528 is the largest Gothic church and the 3rd. largest church in the world.
Plan of Seville Cathedral
Diagram showing top view of Seville Cathedral
Doors of the Cathedral of Seville
Cathedral of Seville has several large doors such as Door of Conception, Door of Assumption and Christopher Columbus Door or Prince Door, to name a few.
Below are photos showing the three mentioned doors.
Door of Conception
Door of Conception
Door of Assumption
Door of Assumption
Christopher Columbus Door or Prince Door
Christopher Columbus Door or Prince Door
Giralda, the Bell Tower of Seville Cathedral
Adjacent to Seville Cathedral is a tall bell tower that is known as Giralda.
Giralda was converted from a Moorish mosque’s minaret and is 105 metres high. Visitors can go up the tower to have a breathtaking view of the old town of Seville.
Giralda, the Bell Tower
Giralda is the bell tower of Seville Cathedral. It is converted from a Moorish mosque’s minaret.
Courtyard of Seville Cathedral
In front of Seville Cathedral is a courtyard which is full of orange trees that make the place shady and cooling.
There is an exit door known as Door of Forgiveness or Pardon which is opposite the Door of Conception of the cathedral.
Door of Forgiveness or Pardon
Exit door of Seville Cathedral, Door of Forgiveness or Pardon
Outside the Door of Forgiveness or Pardon
The outside of the Door of Forgiveness retains the Moorish features of the former mosque.
Outside Door of Forgiveness or Pardon
Outside the Door of Forgiveness or Pardon
Interior of Seville Cathedral
We entered Seville Cathedral through the Door of Conception.
The interior of the cathedral is large. Its length is 117 metres, width 76 metres and the height of the ceiling 42 metres.
Large Interior of the Cathedral of Seville
Interior of Seville Cathedral is large. It is 117 metres long, 76 metres long and 42 metres high.
42 metre-high ceiling
High ceiling that is 42 metres high.
Stained Glass Windows
There are some colourful stained glass windows that make the interior of the cathedral beautiful but sombre. They were made between 16th. and 19th. Century.
Photos below show some of them each depicting a religious scene.
Stained glass window I
Stained glass window II
Stained glass window III
Stained glass window IV
Chapels in Cathedral of Seville
There are 80 chapels in the cathedral. Some have altarpieces that are stunning as shown in the photos below.
Main Chapel(Capilla Mayor)
Main Chapel has the most awesome altarpiece. It is a large gold-gilded, intricate, Gothic woodcarving that depicts 45 scenes of the lives of Christ and Virgin Mary.
Main Chapel(Capilla Mayor)
Main Chapel has an awesome altarpiece
Chapel of St. Mary
This chapel has a silver altar and a painting of St. Mary.
Chapel of St. Mary
Silver Altar of St. Mary
Chapel of Crucifixion
This chapel has an altar of a wood-carving of Christ crucified on a cross.
Chapel of Crucifixion
Chapel of Crucifixion
Chapel of the Virgin
This chapel has an altar of Virgin Mary surrounded by statuettes of saints.
Chapel of the Virgin
Chapel of the Virgin
Tombs of Important Persons in the Cathedral of Seville
There are several tombs in the Cathedral of Seville belonging to some Spanish kings, royal members, important religious figures and navigators.
Below are photos showing some tombs in the cathedral.
Tomb of Christopher Columbus
The tomb of Christopher Columbus is the most eye-catching one in the cathedral. His tomb is held aloft by four figures. These figures are allegoric representing the four Spanish kingdoms during Columbus’ life, i.e. Castile, Aragon. Navara and Leon.
Christopher Columbus(1451-1506) was an Italian explorer who discovered America in 1492. His four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean were sponsored by the Spanish kings. When he died in 1506 his was buried in Seville Cathedral.
Tomb of Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus Tomb
Tomb of Cardinal Sir Juan Cervantes(1380-1453)
Another tomb in the cathedral is that of Cardinal Sir Juan Cervantes(1380-1453). Born in Seville, he was made a Catholic Church’s cardinal in 1426 by Pope Martin V(1369-1431).
Tomb of Cardinal Sir Juan Cervantes
Tomb of Sir Cardinal Juan Cervantes(1380-1453) Tomb
Other Tombs
Other important Spanish figures were buried in a special place in the Cathedral of Seville
A Spacial Burial Place in the Seville Cathedral
A special burial place for important Spanish figures in the Cathedral of Seville
Priceless Paintings
There are many priceless paintings in the Cathedral of Seville. Some are displayed in rooms and others in chapels, as shown in the photos below.
Paintings in one of the rooms
Priceless paintings by Spanish painters in a room in the Cathedral of Seville
Paintings: “Baptism of Christ” & “Vision of St. Anthony of Padua”
In a chapel, there are two paintings on a wall. The top painting shows the “Baptism of Christ” and the bottom one the “Vision of St. Anthony of Padua”.
“Baptism of Christ” & “Vision of St. Anthony of Padua”
“Baptism of Christ” & “Vision of St. Anthony of Padua”
Painting: “Saints Justa and Rufina”
In another chapel, there is a painting of “Saints Justa and Raufina”. They were martyred for refusing to worship the image of Goddess Venus.
“Saints Justa and Rufina”
Saints Justa and Rufina
Later, we came out of the Seville Cathedral and spent some time looking around outside the cathedral.
General Archive of the Indies
We saw a white building that looks like a palace.
It was built in Spanish Renaissance style in the 16th. Century and known as General Archive of the Indies. It houses important documents of the history of the Spanish Empire in the Americas and the Philippines.
General Archive of the Indies
General Archive of the Indies houses 43000 volumes of 80 million pages of the history of the Spanish Empire in the Americas and the Philippines.
MetroCentro Tram System in Seville
Then we saw a modern tram arriving at the station near the Cathedral of Seville.
There is a MetroCentro Tram System running a distance of 1.4 km from Plaza Nueva to San Bernado. There are 3 stations in between them, including the station near the Cathedral of Seville.
MetroCentro Tram System
MetroCentro Tram System in Seville
Tourists arriving at Seville
Trams bringing tourists arrive at the General Archive of the Indies Station near Seville Cathedral
Horse-Drawn Carriages
In the area around Seville Cathedral, we saw many horse-drawn carriages carrying tourists.
Horse-drawn carriages are in demand by the tourists in Seville. It is a convenient means of going round the old town to see historical buildings, monuments and gardens or squares.
Horse-drawn carriages
Horse-drawn carriages for sightseeing in Seville Old Town
Horse-drawn carriage carrying tourists for a sightseeing tour in Seville Old Town
Tour Group Photo near Seville Cathedral
One photo was taken near the Seville Cathedral for the tour group album, as shown below.
Group photo taken near the Seville Cathedral
Seville Bullring
Having visited the Seville Cathedral and the area around it, we walked to a Seville bullring nearby.
Seville Bullring has a 12000 seating capacity near the cathedral. It is known as Plaza Real Maestranza built in Baroque style from 1749 until 1765. The regular bullfighting season is from March until September, annually.
Seville Bullring
Seville bullring known as Plaza Real Maestranza was built from 1749 until 1765.
Bronze Statue of Bullfighter
A bronze statue of a bullfighter can be seen outside the bullring. It is a statue of Curro Romero(1933-2018) who was a well-known Spanish bullfighter. He started his professional career at the age of 21 and retired at 66.
Statue of Bullfighter
Bronze statue of bullfighter known as Curro Romero
Another Tour Group Photo in Seville
Another photo was taken in front of the Seville bullring, Plaza Real Maestranza, for the Tour Group album.
Tour photo in front of Seville Bullring
Hotel Sevilla Congresos, Seville
After visiting the cathedral and bullring, we went for dinner and stayed at a hotel, Hotel Sevilla Congresos, for a night in Seville.
Next Destination
The following day, Sunday, 28 October 2018, we would be going to Cordoba which is 141 km east of Seville. The journey would take about 2 hours.
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Places visited during Spain & Portugal Tour(22 Oct-02 Nov 2018):
Toledo Madrid Salamanca Porto Lisbon Seville Cordobo Granada Valencia Barcelona