Sevilla is a city of many churches, and we saw quite a few. There are two standouts — the cathedral and San Salvatore — but several others that are worth noting for their unique interiors.
Catedral de Santa María de la Sede
The cathedral is a stunning edifice that dominates the central part of old Sevilla, and is one of the four largest churches in the world. One aspect that makes it stand out is its tower — la Giralda, which was once the minaret of a 12th-century mosque, onto which the Christians built additional tiers to accommodate cathedral bells. The mosque was in use until the late 13th century at which time it was repurposed as a church for two centuries until the present cathedral was built in its place in the 15th century.
The courtyard entry to the cathedral is surrounded on two sides by surviving walls of the mosque courtyard, and the remaining side in Mudéjar style, a merger of Islamic detailing on Christian-era buildings, in this case Gothic. In the 1500s it was described as having “orange trees from many centuries ago,” that is, dating from the mosque courtyard. Orange trees and trickling fountains still provide a cool green oasis in the city.
Inside the cathedral, there is a lot of gold and silver, some exquisite and delicate. Some is just so overwhelming that I lost my ability to comprehend.
The interior has beautiful Gothic vaulting, which is decorated unlike any other church I’ve seen. There is also a gorgeous collection of art throughout.
Inside the Door of the Princes (south transept), is the tomb of Christopher Columbus, who was born in Genoa, Italy, and died in Valladolid, Spain. First interred in Valladolid, his remains were later moved Sevilla, then from Sevilla to Santo Domingo (now the Dominican Republic), then to Havana, Cuba, then finally back to Sevilla in the 1890s. The man was well-traveled both in life and death.
I highly recommend that, should you visit the cathedral, you spend a lot of time in advance studying what you will be seeing. Sadly, I admit that I did not do this and, when I entered via the north transept, I was flabbergasted and could not even begin to orient myself in this immense space. It was confounding even to Markipedia. (There is an admission fee of €12, and advance, timed tickets for €11 are recommended.)
Iglesia del Salvador Sevilla
Like the cathedral, this church was built on the site of a mosque. (Are you seeing a pattern here? Just wait until we get to Córdoba!) That said, prior to the mosque, a Visigothic Christian basilica stood in the same footprint.
This Baroque church was built in the late 17th/early 18th centuries by Leonardo de Figueroa. The church stands out because of its gilded and silvered artifacts and surfaces, its main altar and reredos, and numerous frescos and paintings.
We arrived at the perfect time, when the sun was streaming through the stained glass windows lighting up all parts of the building with fabulously lurid colors.
Make sure to visit the courtyard, entered through an archway from the street to the north of the front entrance. It has some of the original features of the mosque that predated the church.
Our timed ticket to the Cathedral included Iglesia del Salvador but it was too much for us to manage time-wise. We simply bought another ticket and went a different day. (Admission is £5 and advanced reservations are not necessary.)
Santa Maria la Blanca
This church, unlike the two above, was built on the site of an earlier synagogue. In 1391, after the massacre and expulsion of the Jews, it was converted to a Christian temple. In the mid-17th century, most of the structure was demolished and the current Baroque building and interior were constructed. Aside from its gilt altar, most notable is the ceiling of carved plaster — it reminds me of clouds. (No admission fee.)
Capilla de Santa María de Jesús
Almost easy to miss (because you are slack-jawed that there would be a Burger King next to it), this little chapel in the Gothic style is the only remnant if the college founded by Rodrigo de Santaella in the 16th century. The reredos is particularly lovely. (No admission fee.)
Real Parroquia de Omnium Sanctorum
We found this church by accident. Our hosts recommended a local eatery known for its fish/seafood tapas (Bar La Cantina) and this church was next door; its tower – again a minaret from an earlier mosque on this site – dominated the view from our table. Combining the Mudéjar and Gothic styles, the rest of the church was built in the mid 14th century. The main altar was added in 1940 as a shrine to Nuestra Señora Reina de Todos los Santos (Our Lady, Queen of All Saints), the patron saint of the parish and beloved in all Sevilla. (No admission fee.)
Developed and maintained by Inspiratech LLC.
Design by Themeshift.
Donn Poll
December 6, 2022 at 6:02 amStunning coverage and quality of images… thank you.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 9, 2022 at 9:35 amOne more post on Sevilla coming, then I’ll start on Córdoba. I hope you’re finding some good information in these posts, Donn.
Jill Jill
December 6, 2022 at 11:12 amStunning
Cocoa & Lavender
December 9, 2022 at 9:35 amThanks!
Mad Dog
December 6, 2022 at 11:33 amFantastic pictures – some of those altar pieces are almost like the Sistine Chapel in 3D!
I particularly likes the Virgin surrounded by heads.
It’s quite common to find smaller, but none the less beautiful churches where the golden altars are still blackened
by centuries of burning candles. They are quite stunning in a different way, but have become more two dimensional.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 9, 2022 at 9:38 amThanks, MD. It is amazing how cleaning off the soot from candlelight can really make a difference. We’ve seen it here in this country, as well. I have to say, that Madonna surrounded by heads was very unusual!
Eha
December 6, 2022 at 2:16 pmWhat an immense pleasure to wake up to the journey you have presented . . . especially since Seville has not been on my travels . . . Wonderful photography of incredible imagination and artistry by so many ! Decades of incredible workmanship . . . love the smaller edifice dedicated to the White Madonna . . .
Cocoa & Lavender
December 9, 2022 at 9:40 amI hope that Sevilla is now on your list of places to visit, Eha! The craftsmanship throughout the city is truly stunning.
sherry
December 6, 2022 at 6:10 pmwow this is very overwhelming david! i really feel for all the masons and carvers and builders when I see these buildings. How little they would have been paid! anyway, it’s all very amazing and stunning, isn’t it? Overload for the brain for sure. I remember feeling that way at the Vatican too!
Cocoa & Lavender
December 9, 2022 at 9:40 amYes, Sherry, I feel exactly the same way in the Vatican. Amazing workmanship/craftsmanship and I can only imagine how poor those artists were!
Raymund
December 7, 2022 at 6:04 pmWow every angle is stunning, I love the architecture specially with those intricate details
Cocoa & Lavender
December 9, 2022 at 9:41 amThanks, Raymund. We felt very fortunate to see it!
Chef Mimi
December 8, 2022 at 6:38 amWow wow wow. Stunning. Can you imagine living back then and you were told that there will be new construction and your job is to carve a frieze, or design an altar, or make stained glass windows, or paint a ceiling….. I would have been beheaded.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 9, 2022 at 9:43 amI suppose beheading was an option, but I might try and learn one of the crafts to avoid it. It really is stunning, and I’m glad we got to see it.
2pots2cook
December 9, 2022 at 3:48 amBeauty beyond words, dear David!
Cocoa & Lavender
December 9, 2022 at 9:44 amThanks so much, Davorka. Truly an amazing place.
Inger
December 9, 2022 at 9:45 pmBeautiful David! And just what I imagined we’d all get out of your retirement!
Cocoa & Lavender
December 10, 2022 at 6:41 amIt was definitely a good start to retirement! Thanks, Inger.
Pauline
December 10, 2022 at 1:09 amI really feel overwhelmed by the opulence and wealth in these magnificent cathedrals, and now the ongoing maintenance of them creates more jobs I suppose. As others have said, they also remind me of how I felt when we toured the Vatican. Still as tourists we love to visit them don’t we? Not much comes even close in Australia. A fantastic coverage of them David.
Cocoa & Lavender
December 10, 2022 at 6:46 amThanks, Pauline. I guess that is the reason I keep going back to places like the Vatican — I see new things each time, probably because my brain is so overwhelmed it can’t take it all in.
John
December 10, 2022 at 2:26 amThe amount of wealth that built these amazing structures is astounding. Every intricate detail oozes grandeur. Simply stunning!
Cocoa & Lavender
December 10, 2022 at 6:48 amSometimes, the wealth in these churches depressed me — but times were so different then…
Frank | Memorie di Angelina
December 11, 2022 at 8:06 amAbsolutely breathtaking! Especially those altars…. Cool to visit Columbus’s tomb. Whatever one might think about the man, he did change the world. Didn’t know how his body was moved around, must be quite a back story there!
Valentina
December 12, 2022 at 5:39 pmTruly breathtaking. The detail of the craftsmanship is so incredible. I especially love the two photos with the light coming in from the stained glass. It’s amazing the way stained glass (and beveled glass) windows offer so much beauty, even beyond themselves — through the light, shapes and colors that beam off of them into rooms and onto other objects. Once again, a lovely traveling journey through your stunning photography. 🙂 ~Valentina
Cocoa & Lavender
December 13, 2022 at 8:51 amYou make me smile, Valentina! I love the colors as they stream through a church. Once, I saw it captured in dust particles — it was magical but would not photograph. Definitely and image for the mind’s eye.