Like most cathedrals in Spain, the main cathedral in Sevilla lies atop a former mosque. The Reconquista of 1238 changed Andulasia from Islam to Catholic; however, the city of Sevilla continued to use the mosque basically as it was for another 200 years. In 1401 the mosque was razed except for the bell tower, in which the minaret was remodeled into a Christian bell tower, and the cloister which was the former patio of orange trees (which was kept intact). (Remember the same design at the Mezquita which was a place of ablution where people of Islamic faith would wash their face, hands and feet prior to entering the mosque.) The way to tell which building was first is based on materials: the mosque and bell tower were constructed of brick, while the cathedral was constructed of stone.
Sevilla's cathedral is the third largest in Europe, with St. Peter's (Vatican in Rome) and St. Paul's (London) running 1st and 2nd. However, it does have the largest high altarpiece (65' tall) carved out of walnut and chestnut with gold leaf and dust covering the whole thing. (I had read a while back that when Mexico lost the Mexican-American War in 1848, they were doubly bummed when California struck gold in 1849 as the Spanish had been looking for gold in the New World since the 1500s.) It is hard to photograph how large this building actually is--most of my pictures thus far seem like they were taken with a strained neck (as they were) because you cannot get back far enough to show how large so many of the buildings are in context. I have a fondness for cathedral ceilings as they are particularly ornate. (I am not sure when people were supposed to look at the ceiling. In mass at the Mezquita, I took surreptitious glances at the ornate wood carvings of the choir, but was afraid one of the 17+ priests would think I was not paying attention to the service ((in a language I didn't understand...)) Definitely visit this Cathedral, as there is an amazing view from the bell tower of the entire city of Sevilla. You will see numbers on the wall as you climb. Know that you have arrived when you hit the 34 1/2 floor. (In the days of the mosque, men on horseback rode to the top of the bell tower 5 times a day to ring the bell to come to prayer. I believe that the horse deal was part of the architectural design package when recommended to the city. Once is long, but five? Five times a day requires a horse...)
We further explored the former Juderia, which is the Jewish section of the old town, which has not been Jewish since the 1300s. The beginning prejudice against the Jews in Spain began in Sevilla around 1391 with pograms. These acts of terrorism against a peaceful people spread through Spain from here. Walking through the old town now, the plazas are dedicated to Mary and saints. However, the design is Moorish with Casa Herrera (1920s) in Santa Barbara being a great prototype for the type of design in this place.
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