Visiting the Real Alcazar of Seville!
While traveling throughout southern Spain in the Andalusia region, you will not want to miss the city of Seville (or Sevilla in Spanish). Seville is actually the capital of the Andalusia region and is full of Spanish culture and Treasures of Traveling such as the Real Alcazar of Seville. There are so many interesting places to visit within Seville and the Royal Alcazar of Seville will top the list for many people. From the royal palace to the exquisite gardens, this should be on anyone’s itinerary when visiting Seville.
The Alcazar Has Many Names
Depending on who you talk to, this palace might have a different name. Some people call it The Real Alcazar (Royal Palace in English), others say Reales Alcazares (Royal Palaces) and even others while using English will call it the Alcazar Palace or the Alcazar Castle. Let’s face it, most people make up their own names for buildings, but while visiting the Alcazar, I learned the real name. It’s named the Reales Alcazares because this large palace that has extensive gardens is actually made up of many palaces built by different rulers of Spain throughout history.
A Brief History of the Real Alcazar of Seville
Just like so many southern Spanish cities throughout the Andalusia region, Seville has a unique history of being ruled by multiple kings, rulers and empires. During the 1st Century, the area of Seville where the Real Alcazar is located was actually a college. Then a Christian basilica was built on the college’s ruins and when Seville was conquered by the Umayyad Caliphate in 712, they tore down the basilica to build a military fortress. Similar to the history and construction of the Alhambra in Granada.
Royal Residence of the Royal Family
Then during the caliphate of Abu Yusuf Yaqub al-Mansur, the majority of the multiple palaces that you see today were built. Then, during the Christian reconquest of the 13th century the Real Alcazar became the royal residence of the royal family. An interesting fact, is that this palace is still the royal residence of the royal family when they visit Seville. Throughout time, the palace continued to change with new styles of architecture and because of those different style changes, walking through the Alcazar feels like a history lesson as you journey through times of the past. Due to its history and beauty, the Alcazar of Seville was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with the Seville Cathedral.
Visiting the Real Alcazar of Seville
The best advice I can give you is to plan ahead because this is a popular tourist spot which means there will be crowds and when there are crowds there are lines. Lines you do not want to stand in when you are sweating under the hot Spanish sun! The best option to skip the line is to buy your tickets in advance on the Alcazar’s website. You can also book a guided tour of the palace, which includes a fast track entry so you can skip the long line of other tourists who are waiting patiently. They can only allow a certain number of guests into the palace at one time so depending on the crowd size, you may be waiting for a long time.
Touring the Real Alcazar of Seville
The Real Alcazar of Seville is huge and the total amount of time needed to see the palace will depend completely on you. I think you should at least give yourself an hour and a half to explore the palace.
Palacio del Rey Don Pedro
King Pedro was the Christian King who ruled Seville after the reconquest. Even though Pedro wasn’t Muslim, he loved the Moorish architecture seen throughout the rest of the palace. When he built his palace, he used islamic designs to create his palace and even had the ruler of Granada at that time, Muhammed V, help him by sending many of his craftsmen to work on the construction of his palace.
Patio de Las Doncellas
Patio de Las Doncellas is a beautiful courtyard named after the white flowers that were used to decorate the courtyard. The design of the arches are so impressive to behold with your own eyes. Interestingly, the arches have both Christian and Muslim signs and symbols depicted on them showcasing the distinctly different cultures that ruled over them throughout history.
Galeria de Los Grotescos
The first thing you see when you enter the gardens is the Galeria de los Grotescos. It’s a beautiful place to start the garden tour as there is a large refreshing fountain pool to cool you down while you view the multiple frescoes painted amongst the arches.
Touring the Alcazar Gardens
How much time you need or want to explore the palace gardens is totally up to you. I think you should at least give yourself two hours if you really want to explore the gardens. The gardens are huge and you can easily spend probably more than 3 hours exploring the extensive layout. Don’t skip out on them because they are beautiful with a mixture of horticultural styles and gorgeous fountains to sit by and cool off while walking under the hot Andalusian sun. This is a good time to remind you to bring plenty of water, a hat and sunscreen to protect your skin from the sun’s rays. The gardens are a great way to end your trip at the Alcazar by leisurely meandering around the beautiful flowers.
The Alcazar of Seville and Game of Thrones
If you watch Game of Thrones and are an obsessed fan like so many others, you might recognize some parts of the Alcazar as some parts of the series were filmed in the Alcazar palace.
Which Palace is Better?
The Real Alcazar of Seville or the Alhambra in Granada? That’s a really tough choice because both locations are absolutely beautiful in their own distinct ways. Even if they were built in roughly the same time frame of history and even using some of the same craftsmen, both palace’s are completely unique and therefore, you must visit both these Andalusian Treasures of Traveling and decide for yourself.
Check out the map below to see where the Real Alcazar of Seville is located at!
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