Travel to the frying pan of Spain and see the UNESCO Heritage Site in Seville, Spain. Seville (Sevilla) is the capital of the Autonomous Region of Andalusia located south of Spain. Due to Seville’s geographical location, which is near Morocco, the region had been occupied by the Moors during the ancient times. The Moors may have been overthrown by the Castellons centuries ago but hints of the Moorish past can still be seen up to present.
Before travelling to the southern part of Spain, make sure that you have secured all necessary documents to get an approved Schengen tourist visa. Although not all foreigners are required to apply for a Schengen visa, it is better to double-check the list of nations with Schengen visa exemptions before arriving in Spain. If your country is not in the list, then you will need to collate the following requirements:
- Valid passport and copies of the front and back pages
- A couple of passport-sized photos with white background
- Proof of Travel – Tourists may opt to get a Flight Reservation for Visa or Hotel Booking for Visa without having to pay the actual ticket or hotel reservation.
- Travel Insurance – Tourists may acquire a more affordable and reliable travel insurance from Schengen Travel Insurance.
- Personal Covering Letter
- Financial documents, and
- Schengen Visa application form
UNESCO Heritage Site in Seville, Spain:
Right at the heart of Seville are ancient structures that tell stories of the prominence of the Moors and how they were overturned by the Castillons. Take a trip back in time while visiting the UNESCO Heritage Site in Seville, Spain.
Plaza de España:
Commence your historic trip down the Spanish memory lane by visiting the great architectural structure known as Plaza de España. Although not as ancient as you think, this almost 100-year old semi-circular structure was built for the Ibero-American Art Expo of 1929.
The structure’s architect, Anibal Gonzales, decided to surprise the exhibitors through the intricate interiors like hand-painted tiles, colourful alcoves, hand-painted banisters, and many more. The exterior design was patterned after Moorish and Renaissance architecture with red bricks and tall towers. Visitors can just walk freely in this plaza to take a closer look of these intricate designs.
Real Alcazar de Seville:
After touring the plaza, walk out of the park, go past the Universidad de Seville and you’ll enter the main UNESCO Heritage Site in Seville, Spain. The first striking structure that you will probably, if you enter from the main road is the Real Alcazar de Seville. Literally translates to the Royal Palace of Seville, this Moorish-inspired castle was originally built by the Moors to house their king but with the strong Castellon forces the palace ended up housing the Christian King named King Pedro of Castile.
The interiors of the castle is filled with all sorts of Moorish-type areas like the Patio de las Doncellas (Maiden’s Courtyard), Los Baños (The Bathroom), and many more. You really need to personally visit the palace to appreciate all the minute designs within the structure. Only then will you realize how much passionate the Moorish people must have been to give the sultan a very beautiful castle.
Catedral de Santa Maria de la Sede:
More colloquially known as the Seville Cathedral, this grand structure just sits right across the Real Alcazar. While it presently functions as a Catholic cathedral, this used to be a 12th-century Moorish mosque called Aljama. After overthrowing the Moors, the new government decided to build a strikingly large church over the mosque.
They even decided to make the structure so large, everyone will think they are crazy. The size of this cathedral is so big that it currently has 80 chapels, each large enough to be considered as a church. The cathedral also has 4 main entrances, the north, south, east, and west doors. Finally, it also has a large garden which has kept its Moorish feel. One of the main attractions of this cathedral is the tomb of famous explorer Christopher Columbus.
La Giralda:
Right beside the cathedral is the Giralda or the Bell Tower. This tower originally was built as the mosque’s minaret but was converted to a church bell tower during the construction of the cathedral in the 14th century. From a Moorish-style minaret, the Giralda followed the Renaissance architecture which can be seen from the upper third portion.
This 100m high tower is one of the most visited bell towers in the world. This UNESCO Heritage Site in Seville, Spain has inspired many architects all around the world.
Archivo General de Indias:
Just across the cathedral is the Archivo General de Indias or the General Archives of the Indies. Built in the late 1500s, this building was dedicated as a resting and meeting place of the Seville merchants. Within the structure is a large courtyard that is surrounded by the uniquely designed building. From the patio, large windows, columns, and cornice strips can be seen.
In the late 1700s, this building was reassigned not to be used by merchants but to hold pertinent documents of the History of Spain in America and in the Philippines. This decree was given by King Charles the Third; hence the name Archivo General de Indias. At present, there are more than 40,000 volumes of documents compiled within the building. All these documents are related to the colonial territories of Spain from 1500s to the 1800s.
UNESCO Heritage Site in Seville, Spain – Vamos a Andalusia!
Cannot wait to see all the UNESCO Heritage Site in Seville, Spain? You can easily realize this dream by applying for a Schengen tourist visa. The requirements are easy to complete and the application process is so easy to follow. If Spain is just one of several European nations that you wish to visit, then it might be useful to know the different kinds of Schengen visa to not ruin your planned itinerary. Also, if you wish to maximize your single entry visa, you may want to know the other Schengen countries that implement the same kind of visa. Finally, should you need further assistance to secure a Schengen Visa, you may contact us through WhatsApp (+1 201-554-8735) or leave us a message.
Learn about Spain’s past by visiting these UNESCO Heritage Site in Seville, Spain!
