Thursday 15 July 2010

Sevilla

My childhood memories of Seville were: orange trees, whitewashed walls, Moorish mosaic tiles and shady inner courtyards with fountains. It was all just so yesterday.








The cathedral, which started life as a mosque in the 12th century, only to be rebuilt by the Reconquista christians as the largest Gothic cathedral in the world (only the orange-tree courtyard and the minaret/belltower you can see above remain of the original). Columbus lies inside.







Nearby is the entrance to the Alcazar, Moorish palace. (Queen Isabella debriefed Columbus here after his New World discoveries)...






And from Islam it's only a few steps along to the old Jewish Quarter, Barrio Santa Cruz.


... famous for its narrow Kissing Lanes ...




Murillo is buried somewhere under the bricks here, his tomb lost.




Dinner and a glass of wine in Santa Cruz ...




Finally the sun is setting around 10pm, the streets emptied out now as it's dinner hour in Spain ...



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