Shop
Close 
LANGUAGE

New Day Herald

Spain & Portugal Tour 2017 | The Way of the Traveler | Day 7

 

Seville, Spain

Today is touring Seville. Seville is a romantic town with the charm of the old world in the Old Jewish Quarter. The capital city of the Andalusia region, Seville is a city with beautiful architecture such as the Alcazar Castle as well as the Gothic designed Seville Cathedral, the site of Christopher Columbus’ tomb. As the love affair of Spain continues we keep observing as we are continually pulled into every detail of what presents itself to us as we gaze at the wonderment of it all.

The first stop is Seville’s Plaza de Espana, a stretch of open space, lined with beautiful buildings right in the center of Parque de Maria Luisa.

We walk along the Guadalquivir River which is one of the longest rivers in the world. A herd of sheep walk by with their guard dogs and Shepherd, all in one moment you are transported back 500 years. The earliest known users of the river where the Phoenicians, who made the Guadalquivir River one of their watery roads centuries before the Romans used it. Throughout Spain’s history, the river has been a major route for travel and trade.

Now we go to the Cathedral of Seville which has the tomb of Christopher Columbus, who was originally buried in Havana. The bell tower of the cathedral is a separate building called La Giralda.

Royalty is everywhere in Spain. The Alcazar of Seville is a royal palace originally incepted by Moorish Muslim kings and the palace is internationally renowned as one of the most beautiful in Spain and is recognized for its spectacular examples of mudejar (or medieval Iberian) architecture. Still used by the royal family, the UNESCO World Heritage Site is the oldest palace still in use in Europe.

Next is the Cathedral of Seville (also known as the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See) and la Giralda. It is the third largest church in the world and the largest cathedral in the world. It was built in the XV century to showcase the wealth of Seville that became a major trading center. A stunning work of art in the Cathedral of Seville is the altarpiece with scenes of the life of Jesus carved in wood and gilded in gold. It was finished after 200 years of work in the 16th Century, and later became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. There are many interesting things to see in the cathedral. Christopher Columbus is laid to rest here, as are many members of the royal house. The bell tower is also interesting. It is part of the Muslim building that stood on the site long ago. Each door, wall, chapel, and courtyard has a special name correlating to a specific meaning. For example, the Door of Baptism is decorated with a picture of Jesus’ baptism in Gothic style. Another door, the Door of Saint Michael, shows the birth of Jesus in sculptures. All with solemn symbolism, there’s still room for some fun; one door is called the Door of the Lizard because of a stuffed crocodile hanging from the ceiling.

Now it is time to be transported back 500 years as we wander through the Jewish Quarter. The Jewish Quarter is like walking back in time as you wander through the labyrinth medieval streets, jasmine-scented alleyways and flowering courtyards.

Far less impressive than the one in Seville, the Granada Cathedral was built in the Spanish Renaissance style over the site of an old mosque. There are kneeling statues of Ferdinand and Isabella. The chapel of the Trinity has a painting by El Greco which is huge and stunning.

The final stop for the day is the Metropol Parasol tour in Seville which is recognized for its historic significance as well as contemporary sites. Metropol Parasol looks a bit like quirky mushroom shaped domes. With six parasols and four levels, the design of this structure was inspired by the vaults of the Seville Cathedral and the ficus trees in Plaza de Cristo de Burgos. The underground level is the Antiquarium, where Roman and Moorish remains were discovered during the construction of the structure. Since its inauguration, the space has been chosen as one of five finalists in the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture.

The day ends with a delicious Group dinner at Vincci La Rabida which is located near the center of Seville.
Love and Light Julie

Videos by Julie Lurie

[ooyala code=’54aW9wYzE6HMk7Gty0ZnGH4vQn4-6Wei’ player_id=’aa43b6107d2a4417b95db88e1cf7e01e’ width=’640′ height=’360′ auto=’true’ platform=’html5-priority’]

Touring Photos by David Sand

 

Join Us in Planting Light Columns wherever you are and Light up the World together.

Here are two handouts from John-Roger on “Light Columns”
Click here | Planting Light Columns #1 by John-Roger
Click here | Planting Light Columns #2 by John-Roger

Join in Visualizing a Light column wherever you are each morning with this map that shows the dates where we will be on tour to connect with the Light action around the planet.

We Would Love To Hear From You

Click here | to Chat with us during the Tour!
Click here | to Email us at MSIALive1@gmail.com

Would you like to receive email updates for the Tour?

Add your email address to the OPT-IN list to receive email updates. When we have new posts you will receive and email in your inbox. Click the banner to Subscribe and Join the Celebration!

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *