The Royal Alcazars
Definitely, one of the most impressive monuments in Sevilla is the Alcazar. You can’t miss it when you visit the city.
This palace was built in the 10th century over a Roman Acropolis and a Visigothic basilica, and it is still the Royal Residence when the king and queen visit Sevilla.
The Gothic Palace was built during the kingdom of Alfonso III, The Wise. Outstanding is the contribution of King Pedro I “The Cruel” (1350-1369), who reconstructed parts of the Arab Alcazar in a unitary palace which constitutes the most successful civil Seville Mudéjar.
During the 16th century new reforms are made, and the gardens are enriched with palm and orange trees, fountains and pavilions that provide freshness in the hot summer days.
The many rooms, patios and salons combine the most varied range of architectural styles and influences, from the Islamic to the Neoclassic. The beauty of its fountains and gardens is another of its highlighted attractions.
The Royal Alcazars, due to its use as a Royal residence, have witnessed great historic events of all kinds. The wedding of Charles V with Isabel of Portugal was celebrated there, and very recently, there was the wedding of Infanta Elena with Don Jaime de Marichalar, Duke of Lugo.
Attractions.
- Ambassadors’ salon: the splendid dome of the Ambassadors’ Salon is decorated with ribbons carved on gilded cedar.
- El Patio de la Montería (The Hunting Patio): it was the meeting place of the court before hunting. The façade of Pedro I’s palace is a unique Mudéjar example.
- El Patio del Yeso(The Plaster Patio): this garden beautifully ornamented with flower clumps and irrigation channels preserves elements of the Almohade Alcazar of the 12th century.
- El Patio de las doncellas(The Maids Patio): The Maids Patio was decorated by the best artifices of Grenade. The Crossing Patio is on the former bathrooms.
- Carlos V’s Salons: Carlos V’s rooms and Chapel are adorned with magnificent tapestry and colorful tiles of the 16th century.
- El Patio de las Muñecas(The Dolls’ Patio): this patio, with its dorms and adjacent halls, was the domestic heart of the palace. It takes its name from two tiny faces that adorn one of its arches.
