Alcazar, Sevilla

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The palace is one of the best remaining examples of mudéjar architecture. Well worth a look.

The royal family still use the upper floors as their official Seville Residence.

The gardens here are wonderful as well.

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I've travelled to Seville in the end of January, 2008. This time of year we have very cold, freezing days in Lithuania, but what I experience in the Alcazar is hard to describe in words. Some places of that palace looked like they were a very successful work of an artist - old moorish architecture, water fountains and the beauty of southern nature (palm trees, orange, tangerine and lemon trees, flowers) left a very strong impression on me.

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The Alcazar is the ancient Royal Palace of the rulers of Spain since the Roman era, approximately 913. It is still in use today when the King visits Seville.

Beautifully carved inside with magnificent ceramic tiles it is also a fortress, forming part the ancient city walls. Excellent Mudejar architecture from some of the older renovations required following earthquakes.
Strongly reminiscent of Al Hambra.

A visit here can take a couple of hours at least. Very worthwhile taking time to visit all of the rooms and the gardens with their lovely fountains.
If they are open (depends on if in use by the Royal family) do visit the Royal Apartments.
Fabulous - even worth the extra payment for the guided tour.

See map and description here: http://www.sevillaonline.es/english/seville-city-centre/alcazar-palace.htm

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The Alcazar is a royal palace originally built as a Moorish fort and later enlarged by the Christian kings. The Alcazar is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Sevilla, mainly as it is one of the best examples of mudéjar architecture, a style applied under Christian rule in Spain but using Islamic architectural influence.

There are various palaces (both mudejar style and gothic style) and some fantastic gardens!

Entrance fee is 7 € (2008) and be sure to bring plenty of time!!!

At the Plaza del Triunfo is the entrance to the ROYAL ALCAZAR and.....take care that you have plenty of time because this is a huge complex of interesting buildings and gardens....

This place is one of the oldest royal residences in Europe!

This same location has been occupied by e series of defferent buildings, such as a Roman Acropolis, a Paleochristian Basilica, a Moorish Castle and the first Moorish Fortress of the 9th Century.
Pedro I built the MUDEJAR PALACE, a mixture of Gothic elements with MUDEJAR plaster and coffer work.

Especially interesting are:

the patio de la Monteria (Hunting Patio)
the patio de las Doncellas (Maidens Patio)
the patio Salon de los Embajadores (Embassador's Hall with its huge golden cupola of the mid 15th Century.

Next to the Mudejar Palace stands the Palace of Carlos V, adjacent to the Jardines del Alcazar (the gardens).

When you have enjoyed it all, including the thousands of doves living there!, you leave the Alcazar into the Patio de Banderas (Patio of the Flags).

There is a nice cafee / restaurant where you can sit down for a while after walking through the gardens.....

For more photographs: go to my TRAVELOGUE.....

The Alcazar (literally, "fortress") was one of the highlights of my visit. You enter on the right side through the Puerta del Leon (Lion's Gate, pictured here) and enter into a beautiful courtyard. This place is well worth the 5 Euro admission fee. There are many courtyards and multiple architectural influences evident at the Alcazar, including Moorish, Mudejar and even Renaissance. Some of the details of the ornate carvings will blow you away. Don't forget to spend some time wandering through the extensive gardens at the back of the fortress.

In doing some research, you'll discover that the Alcazar is not a genuine Moorish palace like the Alhambra in Granada, but it does have many Moorish influences. In fact, it was built by Moorish workers from Granada, but it was commissioned by a Christian king, Pedro I.

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We live in Europe and castles don't excite me as much as they used to, but I am glad I stood in line and saw everything. Don't leave here without paying the extra 4 euros and going up the stairs to the King's Quarters/Official Residence. This part is highly interesting and you will see where Columbus came to get his ships, etc. They will tell you the details of meeting the King, and what rooms you go through, etc. This takes about and hour.
The whole experience is LARGE...rooms off to the side, in what seems like everywhere, gardens that keep extending, courtyards, and in one corner a fire hose sprays water into a big pool while the ducks live a happy life. I bet the old Kings did not like swimming with the ducks.
Much of the art created by the Arabs has been lift to enjoy, and it is really interesting, all those intricate patterns.
This was a most enjoyable experience, I recommend going before lunch, and then when you are finished find a restarant and have paella. What could be better?

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I had the opportunity to visit the Gardens in the evening, after visiting the palaces.
The gardens are divided into two by a rocaille wall. They give protection from the harshness of the outside world. There are palm, cypress, myrtle, mulberries, magnolia, orange and lemon trees.

Jardines de Mercurio are located at the height of the palace and thus higher than the rest of the gardens. There is a large pond dominated by the figure of the god Mercury. In the background is the Galería del Grutesco, built on a part of the Almohad wall, which was transformed into a viewpoint in 1612, being the most Mannerist element of the Alcázar. Reddish like marble murals with painted figures, mythological tales and exotic birds, made in the seventeenth century. The gallery is crowned at the top like a little castle battlements. Facing the pond remains a fountain with a hydraulic organ from the XVII century.

Jardín de la danza o de las Damas is a rectangular space divided into three sections, from which you access the so-called "Bath of Doña María de Padilla", a large pond with ribbed arches at the top. At a higher level are two columns that once were topped with sculptures of mythological characters, representing a satyr and a nymph dancing. In the lower part features a fountain dating from the sixteenth century, decorated with tiles.

Jardín de Troya, adjoining the palace area, has Almohad origin, present in details such as the intimacy provided by the walls that separate the garden from the ladies, the musicality of the sources and the fragrance of herbs. The central source consists of a basin of the tenth century. A rustic gallery closes the garden.

Jardines del Príncipe are the oldest ones. Prince Juan, son of the Catholic Monarchs, was born in a room near this garden. Palm, cypress, magnolia, pomegranate, orange and other shrubs are all irregularly distributed. Highlights the Neptune Fountain.

Jardín de la Alcubilla (Garden of the Reservoir): This garden existed during the time of Charles V.

Jardín Inglés (English gardens) was built in 1909 following the models of the British gardens of the 18th century. The main gardener of the Real Casa de Campo, Juan Gras, was put in charge of planting the flowers.

The Labyrinth and a fine pavilion were built in the time of Carlos V (1543) in Renaissance style.

Jardín del Marqués de la Vega Inclán is a well designed garden inspired by the Damas Garden. This garden consists of 20 mostly square flower beds that are separated by paths and fountains. These gardens took their inspiration from Islamic culture and the Renaissance.

Jardín de los Poetas (The Garden of the Poets). It's most emblematic feature is the two ponds that were inspired by the Arabs and Romans.

Other gardens are Jardín de la Galera, Jardín de las Flores, Jardín del Chorrón and Jardín de la Cruz.