My friends Peter & Ute joined an Andalucia Tour and one of the cities to visit was Seville.

The Plaza de España

Laid out in 1929 for an abortive 'Fair of the Americas', the Plaza de España is among the most pleasant public spaces in Spain. They are ideal to spend a part of the day.

The plaza mainly comprises government offices while the surrounding moat can be best appreciated by renting out a rowing boat. A vast semicircular complex with fountains, monumental staircases and a mass of tile work which is very spectacular.

There is a tiled alcove named after each of the provinces of Spain.

The Alcázar of Seville (Spanish "Alcázares Reales de Sevilla" or "Royal Alcazars of Seville") is a royal palace in Seville, Spain. Originally a Moorish fort, the Alcázar (from the Arabic القصر, al-qasr, meaning "palace") has been expanded several times. The Almohades were the first to build a palace, called Al-Muwarak, on the site. Most of the modern Alcázar was built over Moorish ruins for King Pedro of Castile (also known as Pedro the Cruel) with construction beginning in 1364. Pedro used Moorish workers to build his palace giving it a distinctly Islamic design.

The palace is one of the best remaining examples of mudéjar architecture, a style under Christian rule in Spain but using Islamic architectural influence. Subsequent monarchs have added their own additions to the Alcázar. Charles V's addition of gothic elements contrasts with the dominant Islamic style. The upper apartments of the Alcázar are still used by the royal family as the official Seville residence and are administered by the Patrimonio Nacional.

The Giralda in Seville is one of three remaining Almohad minarets in the world (the others are in Marrakesh and Rabat, Morocco).

The Giralda (named for the giraldillo or weather vane on its summit) was the minaret of the mosque that stood on the site now occupied by Seville Cathedral.

Topped with four copper spheres that could be seen for miles around, the Moorish tower was used both to call the faithful to prayer and as an observatory over the city.

The tower took 12 years to build (1184-96) and was the culmination of Almohad architecture. It is considered the finest of the three great Almohad minarets: the others are in the Moroccan cities of Rabat and Marrakesh.

La Giralda was so venerated by the Moors that they wanted to destroy it before the Christian conquest of the city in 1248. This was prevented by King Alfonso X, who declared that "if they removed a single stone, they would all be put to the sword." The Giralda thus preserved, it became the bell tower of the Christian cathedral (begun 1402).

Several additions were made to the Giralda in the Renaissance era, following an earthquake (1356) that destroyed the original copper spheres that topped the tower. Four more levels were added at the top for the belfry (1560-68), which was topped by an Italian bronze sculpture of "Faith." Balconies were also added.

The tower structure beneath the bells is that of the original minaret. Its simple beauty derives from the shadows formed by blocks of brick trelliswork, different on each side, and a succession of arched niches and windows. Despite the Renaissance additions, La Giralda remains one of the most beautiful monuments of the Islamic world.

The tower's inner construction is nearly as impressive as the outer. There are no stairs. Instead, there is a series of 35 gently inclined ramps that are wide enough to allow two guards on horseback to pass. The long climb is richly rewarded with glimpses of the cathedral's buttresses and gargoyles on the way up and a dazzling view of Seville at the top.

Entrance to the tower is from inside the cathedral, to the left of the Capilla Real in the northeast corner. It is open the same hours as the cathedral and the cost is included with cathedral admission.