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According
to legend, Sevilla was founded by Hercules and its origins are linked with
the Tartessian civilisation. It was called Hispalis under the Romans and Isbiliya
with the Moors. Its high point in its history was following the discovery
of America.For more information about
property for sale in Spain in or near Seville please contact us.
Seville has a rich and fascinating history. The Romans governed the whole
of Spain for more than six centuries. Their first colony was Italica which
may still be visited today. The Romans changed the face of the countryside
and towns, building aqueducts and long straight roads to link the major towns.
Today some of the best preserved artifacts from this period can be found at
the city's magnificent Archaelogical Museum.
But it was the Moslem civilization which was to have the most lasting impact
on the city. Their reign lasted for nearly 800 years in Andalucia from 711
until 1492 when the Catholic monarchs defeated the Moslem kingdom of Granada.
Some of the city's most magnificent buildings stand as a legacy to this era,
including the Torre del Oro, Torre de Plata, Giralda, Patio de los Naranjos,
the area of Triana, the Macarena Walls and the Alcazar. Later the the mudejares
used their skill to create beautiful Moorish-style buildings, such as the
Palacio Pedro 1, part of Seville's Reales Alcazres. There are several Mudejar
churches dating from this period, including the Iglesia de San Marcos, the
Iglesia de Santa Catalina and the Church of San Pedro.
Interestingly, Mudejar architecture continued long after the Moslem period, one of the best examples being the Casa de Pilatos, one of the most beautiful buildings you can visit in Seville. The city walls and gates offer an insight into the history over the ages. After the fall of Granada to the Christians, Spain entered an era of expansion and prosperity. The conquest of the New World made Seville one of the most affluent cities in Europe, but much of this wealth was squandered on wars by the Hapsburg kings. The 13 year War of the Spanish Succession saw Bourbons on the throne in place of the Hapsburgs and, under the Treaty of Utrecht, the loss of Gibraltar to the British. Later ties with France dragged Spain into the Napoleonic Wars. Following the Battle of Trafalgar, the Spanish King, Carlos IV abdicated and Napoleon Bonaparte placed his brother, Joseph on the Spanish throne. The Peninsula War ensued and, with British help, the French were driven out of Spain. After the Bourbon restoration, Spain weakened by further strife, began to lose her colonies. By the 18th century, Spain had fallen into economic decline and in the 19th and early 20th centuries poverty led to political conflict and ultimately to civil war.
Many of the more recent historic buildings date from the 1929 Ibero-American Exposion of 1929, including the Plaza de España and the Parque Maria Luisa. In 1992 this event was repeated when Expo took place again in Seville, attracting thousands of visitors from around the world. Sevilla lies on the banks of the Guadalquivir and is one of the largest historical centres in Europe, it has the minaret of La Giralda, the cathedral (one of the largest in Christendom), and the Alcázar Palace. Part of its treasure include Casa de Pilatos, the Town Hall, Archive of the Indies (where the historical records of the American continent are kept), the Fine Arts Museum (the second largest picture gallery in Spain) , plus convents, parish churches and palaces.
It has hosted two international exhibitions (1929 and 1992) and is the administrative capital of Andalucía. The quarter of Triana on the other side of the river, La Macarena, Santa Cruz and San Bartolomé, the street of Las Sierpes, plus La Maestranza bullring, María Luisa park and the riverside walks are all representative images of Sevilla. For all its important monuments and fascinating history, Sevilla is universally famous for being a joyous town. While the Sevillians are known for their wit and sparkle, the city itself is striking for its vitality. It is the largest town in Southern Spain, the city of Carmen, Don Juan and Figaro.
The Sevillians are great actors and put on an extraordinary performance at their annual Fería de Abril, a week-long party of drink, food and dance which takes place day and night in more than a thousand especially mounted tents. But above all it allows the men to parade on their fine horses and the women to dance in brilliantly coloured gypsy dresses. Immediately before that is Holy Week, Semana Santa, a religious festival where hooded penitents march In long processions followed by huge baroque floats on which sit Images of the Virgin or Christ, surrounded by cheerful crowds. Both Spring events are well worth experiencing.
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