Spain Trip #50: Seville: 4 Kingdoms, Jewish Quadrant & Kissing Street!

The 4 Kingdom flag

In today's blog, we'll explain about the "4 Kingdoms of Andalusia (southern Spain)" and tell you about a Jewish quadrant of the city that's been around since the Middle Ages and you'll visit the "Kissing Street. So, put on your history hat!

WHAT ARE SPAIN'S 4 KINGDOMS? In the 8th century, the Four Kingdoms of Andalusia was a collective name designating the four kingdoms of the Crown of Castile located in the southern Iberian Peninsula, south of the Sierra Morena, Spain. THey were Muslim kingdoms that were all captured in the 1200s by Christians. They were identified by the lion, the castle, a crown and a kingdom.

the 4 kingdoms of southern Spain

COLORS OF 4 KINGDOMS -Red, and yellow is a traditional Spanish people's favorite colors, and respectively represent four kingdoms of Spain.

THE JEWISH QUADRANT - According to Spain-holiday.com, the Jewish quadrant of Seville began with the construction of a wall during medieval times that separated Jews from the rest of the city. This fence begins at Tintes street and travels through Mercedarias square until ending at Mateos Gago.

Walking down "kissing street"

A DARKENED HISTORY - In 1248, Seville was conquered by the Christians, who originally welcomed the Jewish population. However, when the Christian population no longer needed the money or the assistance of the Jewish people, relations grew tense. Enough hatred was fostered to incite disaster in 1391, when the entire Jewish community was attacked and their synagogues were converted to churches. Thousands of Jewish lives were lost. Today, the Jewish quadrant still stands. It's a reminder of the culture and the history. 

THE KISSING STREET - Reinoso Street is known as "the kissing street" because the houses are so close and the alley so narrow, that you can lean outside of your window and kiss your neighbor!" 

NEXT: The Christopher Columbus Corpse Controversy