The Giant. ⛪
It is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world and the third-largest church overall (after St. Peter's in Rome and St. Paul's in London). It swallows you whole.
Columbus's Tomb
Four massive bronze kings (representing the kingdoms of Spain) carry the coffin of Christopher Columbus. DNA tests in 2006 confirmed it's really him (mostly).
The Altar
The Retablo Mayor is the largest altarpiece in Christendom. It is a wall of gold leaf featuring over 1,000 carved biblical figures. It took 80 years to carve.
La Giralda. 🔔
The symbol of Seville. The bottom two-thirds is a 12th-century Almohad minaret; the top third is a 16th-century Renaissance bell tower. A perfect hybrid.
The Ramps
There are no stairs. You ascend via 35 gentle sloping ramps. This was designed so the Muezzin could ride his horse to the top to call the faithful to prayer.
The View
At the top (98 meters), you are eye-level with the cathedral's flying buttresses and have a panoramic view of the white-washed city.
El Giraldillo
The bronze statue on top acts as a weather vane ("girar" means to turn). It represents Faith, triumphing over the wind.
The Lizard
El Lagarto
Orange Court. 🍊
Before entering the cathedral, you pass through the Patio de los Naranjos. This was the courtyard of the original Great Mosque, where worshipers performed ablutions.
The Hanging Crocodile:
Look up near the Puerta del Lagarto. Hanging from the ceiling is a wooden crocodile (originally a real stuffed one). It was a gift from the Sultan of Egypt in the 13th century, rejected by the King, so they hung it in the church.
Santa Cruz. 🌿
Surrounding the cathedral is the old Jewish Quarter (Judería). It is a maze of impossibly narrow streets designed to keep the sun out and the cool air in.
Kissing Lanes
Some streets, like Calle de los Besos, are so narrow that neighbors on opposite balconies could lean across and kiss.
Plaza de Doña Elvira
A hidden square filled with orange trees and tiled benches. It is the perfect place to escape the heat and smell the azahar (orange blossoms).