Seville Cathedral is the Gothic monument par excellence.
Built in the 15th century on the site of an Islamic
mosque, it is the third biggest temple in the world
after Saint Peter's in Rome and Saint Paul's in London.
All that remains of the original mosque is the Orange
Tree Courtyard (Patio de los Naranjos) and the minaret,
known as the Giralda.
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It has five naves and twenty-four
chapels, containing 500 works of art from the
city's most prosperous era. One of the most
interesting features is the enormous main altarpiece,
the biggest in the world, with an extensive
structure and iconography. The choir and retrochoir
feature over a hundred seats and the image of
the Immaculate Conception by Martínez
Montañés. |
The Royal Chapel features the Virgin of the Kings,
the patron saint of the Archdiocese, and the uncorrupted
body of King Saint Ferdinand III. Another outstanding
feature of Seville Cathedral is the sepulchre of Christopher
Columbus.