The Cathedral of Seville
If you're planning your trip to the Andalusian capital, it will surely be on your list. Visit Seville Cathedrala. It is one of the most visited monuments, along with the Royal Alcázar. This is not surprising, as it houses great works of art and is part of the world history.
In this article we're going to talk about some of the most relevant curiosities that fill this magnificent building with mystery and grandeur.
1. Guinness Book of Records
Seville Cathedral appears in the Guinness Book of World Records. It does so for being the largest cathedral in Spain, and the third largest in the world, behind St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican and St. Paul's Basilica in London.
But it doesn't end there, the Seville Cathedral is the Gothic cathedral with the largest surface area in the world, She beats them all there!
2. The origin of its name
It's normal that, when we travel, we know monuments by their common names. But have you ever wondered what the name of Seville Cathedral is? We'll tell you: the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See, dedicated to a small image of this Virgin located in the main altarpiece. It is a silver carving brought from Navarre in the 13th century.
3. Main part of the World Heritage Site
The Cathedral was declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987. As were also the Royal Alcázar and the General Archive of the Indies, also in the city of Seville.
We have even more to share; did you know that with 48 locations to its name, Spain Is Spain one of the countries in the world with the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites? Here we invite you to visit two: the Cathedral and the Alcázar in Seville!
4. Right of asylum
The columns linked to the strings that we see around the Seville Cathedral building represent the limits of civil jurisdiction. They served to allow people to seek asylum from the harsh justice of the 16th century. This practice was known as “retreat"” and it depended on the crime that had been committed, since if the crime was very serious, there was no point in being in the sacred precinct.
5. Large shopping center or shopping center
In the 15th and 16th centuries, steps of the Cathedral It was an area where all kinds of businesses operated. Shoemakers, bakers, lawyers, blacksmiths—everyone had a place in this space, which was, just as it is today, a popular promenade for the people of Seville. It was even common for merchants to finalize deals and trade in slaves.
6. Mixture of cultures
The temple of Seville Cathedral was built on the site of a old mosque aljama. The Christian leaders, after lthe Reconquista, They decided to continue using that Muslim space as a place of worship for over a hundred years. Finally, due to lack of space, it had to be demolished to build a new, larger temple in proportions and in the new style prevalent at the time: Gothic art.
Of that mosque, its old minaret tower, the city's greatest symbol, is still preserved today. Giralda and; on the other hand, the ablutions courtyard of the mosque, now known as Orange Tree Courtyard.
6. The temple moves
It is said that the Cathedral breathes Because the vaults expand and contract daily due to significant temperature changes, especially in spring and autumn, when high temperatures are reached during the day and lower temperatures at night. These movements prevent the stone from cracking, thus maintaining its rigidity. the building structure is safer.
7. Great works of art
The cathedral contains many relics and treasures, including paintings by Murillo, Velázquez, Zurbarán, and Goya. It is said to be the third largest art gallery in Spain, after the Prado Museum in Madrid and the Museum of Fine Arts in Seville.
8. Its design remained hidden
In 2008, the oldest plan A known plan of the Seville Cathedral was found in the Bidaurreta Monastery of Oñate (Guipúzcoa), built around 1490. This plan, once studied, provided important data on the construction of the building.
This document constitutes a fundamental source to reconstruct the working methods of late Gothic architects, given that it is one of the few, and undoubtedly the earliest example of a drawing of a Hispanic architectural plan.
9. The most illustrious cemetery
The body of the King Ferdinand III of Castile (1199-1252), canonized in 1671 as Saint Ferdinand, during the papacy of Clement X. He was known as Ferdinand III. The Saint for having brought Christianity to these territories.
In addition, his son, King Alfonso X, is buried there. The Wise One, he King Peter I the Cruel among other members of royalty.
However, the most visited monument is that of the Christopher Columbus's tomb, The navigator who helped change the course of world history, setting sail from Andalusia with the support of the Catholic Monarchs. His tomb was to be placed in Havana Cathedral to commemorate the Discovery of America, But when Spain lost Cuba and the Philippines in 1898, and after several controversies, it was decided to transport it to Seville.
His son, the cosmographer and bibliographer, was also there., Hernando Colón He is buried in the choir screen of Seville Cathedral.
10. Different from the rest
The Cathedral of the Sevillian capital does not consist of Latin cross floor plan like the rest of them Gothic cathedrals. This design is used in churches where the nave is longer than the transept (the shorter arm). The main portico, the atrium, the high altar, and the apse are aligned along the longer axis.
However, the Seville Cathedral has square shape because it was built on top of that old mosque and had to adapt to the circumstances.
Come and visit the Seville Cathedral
After learning all these interesting facts, we invite you to visit the Seville Cathedral, one of the most amazing late medieval monuments in the world.
The best way to do this is with an official tour guide on a guided tour of Seville Cathedral. You will discover everything you need to know about this great monument that moves thousands of visitors every day.
The magic of Seville Cathedral awaits you!
