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World Heritage in Seville: Cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo De Indias

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World Heritage in Seville: Cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo De Indias Special Issue Seville World Heritage in Seville: Cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo de Indias Román Fernández-Baca Casares, Olive María del Carmen Rodríguez and Beatriz Sanjuán Ballano, Andalusian Institute of Historical Heritage, Commission of Culture, Board of Andalusia The city of Seville, on the banks of the Guadalquivir in south-western Spain, has 136 protected sites and the province of Andalusia has 497. The cathedral, the Alcázar and the Archivo de Indias (Archive of the Indies), a cluster of buildings in the heart of the city, are an integral part of the largest historical urban centre in Europe. Seville Cathedral. © Baltasar García Salaberri 10 World Heritage No. 53 Seville 11 World Heritage No. 53 Special Issue Seville The distinctive bell tower of the cathedral, the Giralda, is just under 100 m high. © Fondo gráfico IAPH ndalusia prides itself in five protection since 1931. The Archivo de Indias them with a universal and exceptional value sites currently inscribed building has been covered by the same from the historical, aesthetic and artistic on the World Heritage declaration since 1983. points of view, justifying their inscription on List: the cities of Cordoba, UNESCO inscription has linked together the World Heritage List. Granada and Seville, these three diversely owned and managed Doñana National Park (1994, 2005), and buildings. On the one hand, the cathedral, The cathedral the Renaissance Monumental Ensembles one of the largest Roman Catholic edifices in In the cathedral, as in all the city’s historic of Úbeda and Baeza (2003). Prior to the the world, belongs to the Church, which has buildings, several cultures may be seen inscription of these sites, the Board of reached an agreement for its conservation to overlap. The interior displays various Andalusia had been pursuing a policy of with the Commission of Culture of the typologies of Visigoth capitals, while the Aprotection of Andalusian historical heritage Board of Andalusia. Those who built this surviving parts of the original Almohad since the 1980s, when it was entrusted with ambitious structure hoped that posterity mosque and the Giralda, the great bell this responsibility. would view it as ‘una obra de locos’ (a work tower that rises to almost 100 metres, The city of Seville, on the banks of the of madmen) – a wish, as it turns out, that delight visitors. A Christian bell tower of Guadalquivir in south-western Spain, has was less implausible than it sounds. On the Renaissance style, typical of the architect 136 protected sites and the province of other hand, the Royal Alcázars are managed Hernán Ruiz II, was added to the Almohad Andalusia has 497. The cathedral, the in their entirety by the Council of Seville, body of brick trellis-work in the 16th Alcázar and the Archivo de Indias (Archive while the Archivo de Indias is owned by the century and culminates in the airy statue of the Indies), a cluster of buildings in Department of Culture. known as El Giraldillo. More Almohad the heart of the city, are an integral part Seville’s cathedral and Giralda minaret, architecture can still be found to the north of the largest historical urban centre in the Alcázar and the Archivo de Indias of the cathedral, in the ancient courtyard Europe. form an impressive and coherent whole of ablutions. This has become an interior The Cathedral Church of Santa María and illustrate the principal milestones in garden, named the Patio de los Naranjos has been protected since 1928 as a Property the history of the city. Together they form (Courtyard of the Orange Trees) which can of Cultural Interest (Bien de Interés Cultural, a monumental ensemble that unifies and be reached through the Puerta del Perdón BIC), while the Alcázar has enjoyed BIC integrates the cityscape. This in turn endows (Door of Pardon). 12 World Heritage No. 53 Seville Aerial view of Seville cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo de Indias. © Fondo gráfico IAPH Public entry to the cathedral The public entry to the Cathedral is The Metropolitan Council and its Maestro is via three great doorways via three great doorways that pierce Mayor support various ongoing strategies that pierce the principal the principal façade, the portals of restoration and recovery, thanks to façade, the portals of Birth, of Birth, Baptism and Ascension. funds collected from cultural visits and Baptism and Ascension, contributions made by the Department but also through doorways of Culture, the Commission of Culture, traditionally known as the Portada del enlarged by two side panels thus providing the Council of Seville and private bodies. Lagarto (Lizard Door), Palos (Sticks), work for several Renaissance artists, including The conservation of the cathedral requires Campanillas (Little Bells) and finally, facing Juan Bautista Vázquez. The iconography and that constant attention be paid not only the Alcázar, the Doorway of the Prince. organization of the altarpiece retraces the to the building (restoration of surfaces Once inside the cathedral, the visitor is History of Salvation in forty-four reliefs and and pillars and renovation of façades) but struck by the impression of tinted light diffused numerous sculptures set on the intervening also to the interior. Among the latter, the by 138 stained-glass windows that illustrate columns. It culminates in a Gothic Calvary restoration of the altarpieces of the Chapel the different stages of the construction of dating from the late 13th century. of the Evangelists and the Chapel of the the building. They also provide a splendid It is impossible to enumerate all the Marshall by the Andalusian Institute of introduction to the history of stained glass outstanding treasures preserved in the Historical Heritage (IAPH) deserve special in the Iberian Peninsula from the 15th to the cathedral. Suffice to mention that they emphasis. The IAPH also devoted seven 20th centuries. Another outstanding feature include dozens of sumptuous chapels, years to the bronze sculpture El Giraldillo. is the main altarpiece, one of the most carvings and sculptures of great value, A new structure was created which, while significant works of Gothic sculpture and the together with an imposing collection of over similar to the existing one, stabilized the most important commissioned in Andalusia in 800 paintings, all of them first rate. There is mechanical behaviour of the sculpture, the latter part of the 15th century. Its unique also a fine collection of textiles and liturgical taking into account the expansion of the appearance can be ascribed to the Flemish books (both Gregorian and polyphonic materials under the effect of heat and the artist Pieter Dancart, who initiated the chant), and a heritage of 3,000 pieces of need to resist corrosion. When this was work. It was completed by Jorge and Alejo gold work that attests to the cathedral’s done, an exhibition was mounted to inform Fernández Alemán, although it was later wealth of gems and ecclesiastical finery. citizens about the restoration of El Giraldillo 13 World Heritage No. 53 Special Issue Seville Interior of Seville’s Alcázar. © Fondo gráfico IAPH (70,000 visits), and shortly afterwards were developed in the Renaissance around the statue was lifted back into its original the Pond of Mercury and the Gallery of the position on the Giralda. Grotesque. Alcázar The Alcázar of Seville, an ancient palace The Alcázar is the most that was built by order of Abd Rahman III in complete example of the 10th century, has been a royal residence Mudejar architecture. from the time of Alfonso X the Wise to the present day. But the decision to build what is known as the Mudejar Palace was taken in the 14th century, under Pedro I the Cruel, The Arbour of the Bedroom or Carlos V The building, the most complete example Pavilion, a summer house displaying both of Mudejar architecture, survives to this Mudejar and Renaissance elements, is yet day and is still admired for its luxury and another outstanding element of this group beauty. of gardens. In these extensive recreational Public access to the Alcázar is through areas, the natural setting with its ponds, two imposing royal gates, followed by a fountains, arbours and grottoes forms a series of interior courtyards including the unique complex that makes it one of the Patio de la Monteria (Courtyard of the most beautiful royal palaces in Spain. Hunt), with its Muslim wall, built by Pedro I The Board of the Royal Alcázar has who summoned the best carpenters and constantly supported a line of conservation master builders of Granada and Toledo for and restoration that is best exemplified the purpose. Next comes the Patio del Yeso by work done in the Courtyard of the (Plaster), Patio de las Doncellas (Courtyard Maidens. The archaeological investigations of the Maidens), Patio de las Muñecas undertaken by the Board to restore the (Courtyard of the Dolls), chapels, reception original landscaping of Pedro I’s palace rooms and look-out points, all of which made significant advances in the knowledge are decorated with rich tapestries, carpets, of preceding Moorish palaces and solved a paintings, tiles and panelled ceilings with number of mysteries touching upon their ornate Mudejar plasterwork. These open architectural evolution. Contributions of onto gardens which, from the starting point great interest from a heritage point of of the original Almohad transept garden, view include a better understanding of the The cupola above the Salón de los Embajadores in the Alcázar. 14 World Heritage No. 53 morphology, functioning and successive representing Faith Triumphant, El Giraldillo transformations of the original Mudejar (1172–98). Now a Christian bell tower, courtyard. the Giralda is a masterpiece of Almohad architecture. The five-naved cathedral, the Seville Archivo de Indias largest Gothic building in Europe, stands For centuries Seville was the on the site of the Almohad mosque.
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