If you want to visit Seville, you cannot miss taking a guided tour of the Cathedral. From any point in the city you can see La Giralda, which is the tower attached to the Cathedral of Seville and is the bell tower of the Holy Metropolitan Cathedral of Seville. Its Gothic style is mixed with Muslim, since that is its origin.
If you want to visit the cathedral of Seville, find out about the guided tours on my website.
A tall cathedral
As a tourist guide in Seville, if I had to highlight something that attracts attention, I should first refer to the dimensions of the Cathedral, since it has 23,500m2. A large area that makes this place of worship the 3rd largest Gothic cathedral in the world.
What are the first two? St Peter’s Vatican and St Paul’s Cathedral London. The Giralda has a height of 104 meters with the Giraldillo, the figure that crowns the Giralda tower.
The old Muslim mosque in Seville
The territory occupied by the Cathedral of Seville was previously occupied by the Arab Aljama, that is, the Arab mosque that existed in the city in the times of Al-Andalus. That is why it still preserves remains of it, such as the Puerta del Perdón (current departure point for the visit to the Cathedral of Seville), the Patio de los Naranjos (former courtyard of Ablutions) and of course, the Giralda Tower.
The Giralda tower in Seville was the minaret to call to prayer, that is, a muezzin went up 5 times a day to call to prayer, just as happens today in Muslim countries. Therefore, our Giralda tower has accompanied us in Seville since ancient times, since the 12th century.
The Giralda and its replicas
When tourists begin to climb the Giralda, they focus their attention on one detail: It does not have stairs, since it is climbed through 35 ramps. The reason is that it was designed by the Arabs to be able to ride a donkey or a horse.
This monument has so captivated that there are several replicas of the Giralda tower:
In the town of L’Arboç, Baix Penedés (Tarragona), the “Giraldilla” of the church of San Pedro de Carmona. The city of Kansas City in the United States also has its replica, since it was a gift from the city of Seville when both cities were declared twin cities in 1969.
However, the design of the Giralda in Seville is based on the minaret tower of Marrakech, from the Koutoubia mosque.
Koutoubia Minaret, Marrakech.
Many bells
The bell tower located at the top of the Giralda is made up of 24 bells, each one with its own name: San José, San Laureano, San Isidoro, San Hermenegildo, San Pablo, San Pedro, San Juan Bautista, Santiago, Santa Cecilia, Santa Justa, Santa Rufina, Santa Lucía, Santa Bárbara, Santa Agnes, Santa Catalina… And many more! You will be able to see the names written as you climb the tower, written in stone right next to each bell. The largest of all is called Santa María Mayor.
Charles V’s stained glass window
When visiting the Cathedral of Seville you should note that it contains a great artistic heritage. It is known as one of the best Spanish art galleries with more than 600 original works of art by Goya, Zurbarán and Murillo, among many others.
With the guided tour in Seville you will discover its sculptures, paintings, delicately made fabrics, samples of goldsmithing, and glass works. Next to the main altarpiece, you will find a stained glass window from San Sebastian in which Emperor Charles V appears.
The Cathedral breathes
As you read, the cathedral vaults expand a few centimeters every day due to the temperature. During the mornings they rise due to the heat and at night they fall, it seems like a movement similar to breathing. It was discovered in 2006, in fact, very recently, through sensors due to the restoration produced. These movements make the cathedral a safe place, since its structure has room for movement in the event of, for example, an earthquake.
The largest main altarpiece in the world
In the main altar of the Cathedral of Seville, there is the largest altarpiece in all of Christianity. It is a work of art made over 80 years and designed by the Flemish master Pyeter Dancart. It reaches 30 meters in height and 20m. Wide. It has images that reflect the life of Christ, perfectly hand-carved in wood and covered with gold leaf.
Right at the base of the main altarpiece, we will find the Virgin Santa María de la Sede, which is the name of the Seville Cathedral. It is made of wood and silver.
Wedding in the Cathedral of Seville
Only families with royal blood can marry at the High Altar of the Cathedral of Seville, as Jaime de Marichalar’s Infanta Doña Elena de Borbón did in 1995.
However, the magnificent Royal Chapel of Seville is available for less high-profile weddings. On our guided cultural tour of the Seville Cathedral we can find Sevillian wedding celebrations, especially during wedding times.
The last famous and non-royal wedding in the Seville Cathedral was that of the soccer player Sergio Ramos with the presenter Pilar Rubio, in 2019.
Visit the cathedral of Seville
If you want to visit the Cathedral of Seville, now you can discover much more of its history thanks to guided excursions in Seville.
Learn from a tourist guide in Seville the third largest Gothic cathedral in the world. Discover Seville in a different way by delving into its history.
Do you want to visit Seville? Contact me to find out about all the guided tours of the city and its monuments. We visited together The Cathedral, La Giralda, The Real Alcázar, Plaza de España, The Gardens of Maria Luisa, Itálica… And much more!
Find out the ticket prices for the Seville Cathedral. The schedule varies depending on the Christmas dates. But in general, except holidays, Monday to Saturday from 10:45 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sundays from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Check here the modifications to the December schedule.
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