Spain Trip #47: Seville, Spain's 2 Towers and Bull ring

Seville's Bull Ring

Today's blog will explore some of the famous landmarks in Seville, Spain. The landmarks we'll take you to include the Bull Ring, the Sevilla Tower and the Golden Tower. 

THE BULL FIGHTING RING - Known as Maestranza, this Baroque style bullring dates back to 1761. It's located in the Plaza de toros de la Real Maestranza de Caballería de Sevilla and it seats 12,000 people. During the annual Seville Fair in Seville, it is the site of one of the most well-known bullfighting festivals in the world.  

bullfighter Manolo Vazquez

Today, it's still used for bull fighting, although Spain has cut way back on the practice. There's also a museum inside, too. 

Address: Paseo de Cristóbal Colón, 12, 41001 Sevilla, Spain

STATUE OF A BULL FIGHTER - Across the street from the Bull ring is a statue of former bullfighter Manolo Vazquez. Vazquez was born in the San Bernardo neighborhood of Seville, and was known by the nicknames of "The Socrates of San Bernardo" and "El Brujo de San Bernardo." He retired in 1968 after having participated during his life in more than 300 bullfights.

  

Sevilla Tower

SEVILLA TOWER or "Torre Sevilla" is a cylindrical skyscraper that houses offices. It was built under the masterplan of Puerto Triana and the architect‎ is ‎César Pelli‎. It seemed somewhat out of place along the river. Construction started in 2008 and finished 8 years later in 2016! It's 40 stories high. LOCAL NOTE - We learned that locals think the tower has a negative visual impact on the area. 

THE GOLDEN TOWER - The Torre del Oro (Tower of Gold) is a historic watchtower that was built around the year 1220, by order of governor Abu Eola. The tower is a legacy of the Almohades, a Moorish dynasty that controlled much of Southern Spain until the reconquest of the area by the Christians in the thirteenth century.  At the time the watchtower was used to control access to the city's port.   The tower was part of the city's defensive walls and it was linked to an octagonal tower nearby, the Torre de la Plata or Silver Tower, which has also been preserved. The cupola shaped top of the tower is a more recent addition; it was built in 1760.

The Golden Tower

TODAY:  The tower is now home to a naval museum. 

PHOTO FACT - The Golden Tower is one of Seville's most photographed landmarks!. 

WHERE DOES THE "GOLDEN" NAME COME FROM? Tower of Gold - probably stems from the gilded azulejos (ceramic tiles) that originally decorated the tower. Another explanation given for the name was the gold that was unloaded here during the time that Seville had the monopoly over the trade with the New World.

NEXT: SANTELMO PALACE AND THE TOBACCO FACTORY