Spain : Alcázar of Seville & General Archive of the Indies

Seville city in the Southern part of Spain is the city painted with its elegant Arabian heritage and Roman history. A perfect destination all year round as the city is blessed with sunny weather 365 days and also known as the sunniest city in Europe.  There are many attractions to visit in Seville, 3-4 days stay is ideal to cover this city.  Let’s check out the two important Unesco World Heritage Sites here.  Alcázar of Seville & General Archive of the Indies both located near Seville Cathedral.  There are in total 47 UNESCO World Heritage sites in Spain which falls slightly behind Italy and China.

Alcazars of Seville

“Royal Alcazars of Seville” is a royal palace in Seville, Spain. It is situated near Seville Cathedral so you can visit together. The Alcazar of Seville is built for Christian King Peter of Castile. It is the oldest royal palace still in use in Europe.

I came across the word “Alcazar” many times when I visit Spain so I went look out for the meaning of Alcazar and found out it means- a Spanish palace or fortress of Moorish origin.

Originally the site is the Abbadid Muslim residential fortress so you see a mixture of Mudéjar architecture and Christian. (Mudéjar refers to a style of ornamentation and decoration in post-Islamic Christain Iberia that was strongly influenced by Moorish taste and workmanship. The term Mudejar also applies to the larges group of Muslims who remained in Iberia in the late medieval period despite the Christain reconquest.)

 

 

Puerta del León (Gate of the Lion)

The above picture is the front entrance of the palace and you will see a crowned lion holding a cross in its claws and bearing a Gothic script.  The red Gate of Lion is closed so you have to go in from another entrance.

Game of Thrones Shooting Scene

The interior which has plenty of beautiful tiles work which looks similar to Alhambra. The palace is made up of intricate rooms decorated with plasterwork, tiling and elaborate ceiling. The garden is also another great catch that creates a serene experience.

This is the shooting scene for Game of Thrones TV series.  Also a Unesco World Heritage Sites.

Archivo General de Indias

The Archivo General de Indias is also located near Alcazars of Seville. The architecture is beautiful and you know it is an important building from the outside. The Renaissance building houses many records of historical significance related to the Spanish conquest of South America and trade with America. However, most records are in Spanish. The good thing is there are no fees to enter so just walk in and have a look at the artifacts and paintings, use the bathrooms.

This is also another UNESCO World Heritage site.

Spotted a pink baby in front of Archivo General de Indias building, how cute!