Sights

Alcázar
The fascinating Alcázar dates back to 913. Entrenched within the beautiful palace complex are the remarkable stories behind the ruling forces that shaped the history of Sevilla and Spain. Its most extraordinary ruler was Pedro I, known as either El Cruel or as El Justiciero (the Justice-Dispenser) depending on which side you were on. It was Pedro I who between 1364-6 created the Alcázar's crown jewel, the sumptuous Mudejar Palacio de Don Pedro.

Antigua Fabrica de Tabacos
It may be part of the Universidad de Sevilla (Sevilla University) now, but the massive old tobacco factory used to be the cornerstone of the city's economy. The workplace of Bizet's operatic heroine Carmen was built in the 18th century and fed the nation's nicotine addiction right up until the mid-20th century.
The neoclassical-styled building is impressive, if a little gloomy. It occupies the largest area of any building in Spain except El Escorial, the great palace-monastery near Madrid.

Barrio de Santa Cruz
The Barrio de Santa Cruz dates back almost 800 years, and is now one of the most interesting and pleasant parts of Sevilla. The area east of the cathedral and Alcázar was Sevilla's medieval Jewish quarter juderia. Today it's a tangle of quaint, winding streets and lovely squares with flowers and orange trees.
The juderia came into existence after the Christian Reconquista (re-conquest) of Sevilla in 1248 and was brutally emptied by a pogrom in 1391.

Basílica de la Macarena
If you're not in Sevilla for Semana Santa, you can get an inkling of what it's all about at this 1940s church, which is home to the most adored religious image in all of Andalucía, the 17th-century Virgen de la Esperanza (Hope) sculpture. Commonly known simply as La Macarena, she is the patron saint of bullfighters and the city's supreme representation of the grieving yet sanguine mother of Christ. The church's museum displays the holy lady's rich vestments and other lavish Semana Santa accoutrements.

Cathedral and Giralda
Sevilla's immense cathedral stands on the site of the main Almohad mosque, with the mosque's minaret, La Giralda, still towering beside it. Within the cathedral lies a bounty of treasured art and artisanry as rich as in any of Spain's great churches.
The main building is one of the world's largest cathedrals, at 126m long and 83m wide. Inside the cathedral's southern door, the Puerta de los Principes, stands the tomb of Sevilla's greatest sailor, Christopher Columbus (Cristóbal Colón).
Then there is La Giralda, a superbly proportioned and decorated minaret whose colour changes with the light, a near perfect example of Islamic building. The easy climb up affords great views of the buttresses and pinnacles surrounding the cathedral and the city beyond. Just beyond the Giralda access, and planted with over 60 orange trees is the Patio de los Naranjos, originally the courtyard of the mosque.

Museo Arqueológico
Dazzling highlights of the huge Museo Arqueológico include a room chock full of gold finery from the mysterious Tartessos culture and fine caches of Iberian animal sculptures and Roman mosaics.

Events
Culture is not only expressed in buildings. It is also found in the centuries old folkloric traditions. In Semana Santa (holy week), the streets of the old center of Sevilla convert into the giant open air stage of the spectacular easter processions for a week.
Only two weeks later to be followed by the April Fair (april 27 - may 2, 2004). Sevilla is also the birthplace Flamenco, that also have several centuries of history.
Another event that take place in Sevilla is the famous Opera Carmen (September 2-12) by Georges Bizet, that use the dramatic original surroundings, the Plaza de España and the Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza.