Seville Cathedral

The Catedral de Santa María de la Sede, is one of the largest and most impressive cathedrals in the world. Here are some notable features and facts about this iconic church:
1) It is the largest Gothic cathedral and the third largest church in the world. Construction began in 1401 and was completed in 1507.
2) La Giralda is the bell tower of the cathedral, originally built as a minaret for the mosque that once stood on this site. The Giralda is 104 meters high and offers breathtaking views of Seville.
3) The cathedral is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture, with elements of the Renaissance and Baroque. The exterior is decorated with intricate detailing, gargoyles and beautiful facades.
4) Inside, you will find a large number of chapels, beautiful stained glass windows and impressive works of art. The main altarpiece, known as the Retablo Mayor, is one of the largest and most detailed in the world. 5) One of the highlights of the cathedral is the tomb of Christopher Columbus, which is prominently displayed inside the church.
6) Royal Chapel: The Capilla Real, or Royal Chapel, houses the tombs of several Castilian monarchs.
7) The Patio de los Naranjos is a beautiful courtyard with orange trees, dating back to the time of the original mosque.

The cathedral in Seville houses, among many other works of art, the tomb of the famous navigator Christopher Columbus (born around 1451, died 1506). His great voyages of discovery, which have made him famous to this day – from the European mainland, westward across the Atlantic, searching for the sea route to India – were undertaken on behalf of the Spanish crown, but he originated from Genoa, Italy.The name of the vast double continent, which he discovered in 1492 (without even realizing it), was borrowed from another explorer: his contemporary Amerigo Vespucci, who became the namesake for America.

• Construction of new walls in Seville. (1118)
• The Almoravids conquer Seville. The Christian bishop flees to Christian lands. (1147)
• The Almohad caliphate of Abu Yaqub Yusuf begins, who transfers the capital to Seville. (1163)
• Abú Yaqub orders the construction of the Greater Mosque of Seville. (1172)
• The caliph Abu Yaqub dies. He is succeeded by his son Abu Yusuf Yaqub who orders to raise the minaret (tower) of the mosque (current Giralda). (1184)
• The minaret works had come to a standstill and are now being resumed with brick. (1189)
• The minaret of the Seville mosque crowned by the “yamur” (4 golden spheres) is inaugurated. (1198)
• The Torre del Oro is built. (1220)
• The Sevillian mosque is transformed into the church of Santa María. (1248)
• The church-cathedral is dedicated to the Assumption of Mary. (1251)
• FERNANDO III is buried in front of the altar of the Chapel of the Kings, the first of the Mudejar cathedral. (1252)
• The Cathedral Chapter creates the General School of Latin and Arabic or Colegio de San Miguel, the origin of the Seville university. (1254) catedraldesevilla.es