How to visit the Alcázar of Seville: prices and opening hours
Considered one of the oldest palaces in the world in use. Along with the Cathedral of Seville and the Archivo de Indias was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987. It is a must visit if you come to Seville.
Its name means fortress (qsar) in Arabic. It began to be built in 914 by Abderramán III and was successively expanded over time by the Abadi dynasty, the poet king Al-Mutamid or the Almohads. The latter extended the Alcazar until reaching the tower Abd el Aziz or Tribute and creating a new wall, which is what you can see in our apartments. They were part of the new fortification of the city that culminated in the thirteenth century with the construction of a new tower on the banks of the Guadalquivir River, the Torre del Oro. With the Christian reconquest in 1248 the Alcazar was the seat of the court several times throughout history. The beauty of the Alcazar of Seville has also been used by the cinema. Films such as Lawrence of Arabia(1962), The Wind and the Lion(1975), The Conquest of Paradise(1992) or The Kingdom of Heaven(2005) have been filmed in various rooms of the Alcazar of Seville. In 2015 and 2016 the famous series Game of Thrones turned the Alcazar into the Kingdom of Dorne.
The Lion's Gate is the entrance to the Alcazar, it is located 2 minutes walk from TorreHomenaje Historical Suites and there is the access control to the Alcazar. In the door there is a tile mural depicting a Lion since 1892. It is believed that it was through this door that Alfonso XI used to go hunting and that there were paintings with hunting motifs. In the drawings made by Richard Ford in 1832 a lion already appeared, although the origin of the painting is unknown.
What to see in the Alcazar of Seville
Plaster Courtyard
It is located near the entrance, built in the twelfth century is one of the few remaining remains of the Almohad period. It has a pool in the center and richly decorated arches on the sides.
Patio de la Montería
This is where they gathered to hunt before leaving through the Puerta de León. From here you can access the main buildings of the Alcazar: The Casa de Contratación, the Gothic Palace and the Mudejar Palace.
Casa de la Contratación
After the Discovery of America, in 1503 it was decreed the creation of the Casa de Contratación, whose purpose was to promote and regulate trade and navigation with the New World. Initially located in the Reales Atarazanas, it was soon moved to the Alcazar, where it remained until its transfer to Cadiz in 1717. This institution was abolished in 1793.
In the Alcazar of Seville inside the Casa de Contratación you first enter the Admiral's Quarters, which is now an exhibition and conference room and is decorated with interesting paintings. Here was the seat of the Court of the Admiralty of Castile and where the most important navigators of the time met. The expedition of Magellan and Elcano to the Maluco that ended up making the first round-the-world voyage was designed here.
The other room of the Casa de Contratación is called Sala de Audiencias, which was a chapel in the 16th century. Here you can find La virgen de los Navegantes, also called de los Mareantes or del Buen Aire. It is an altarpiece by Alejo Fernandez painted between 1531 and 1536. It is the first representation of the Discovery of America in a painting. The altarpiece depicts characters such as Ferdinand the Catholic, Emperor Charles V and navigators such as Christopher Columbus, Amerigo Vespucci and one of the Pinzon family. Here the American Indians were represented for the first time.
The Mudejar Palace or King Pedro's Palace
Built between 1356 and 1366 with the participation of Christian and Muslim artisans from Toledo, Granada and Seville. It is here where several of the most attractive places of the Alcazar are located, such as the Patio of the Maidens or the Hall of Ambassadors.
Patio of the Maidens
It is a quadrangular piece surrounded by four galleries surrounded by a gallery of arches. The central space is occupied by a pool with large flower beds on both sides. The sound of the water remains constant all day long. It is the place where the maidens used to meet to enjoy and relax.
Royal Alcove
This space also received the name of bedroom of the Moorish Kings, it is accessed from the Patio of the Maidens. Among its decoration we can find some shells that symbolize the life cycle of man.
Hall of Ambassadors
It is the most luxurious and famous room of the Alcazar of Seville. It was used as a throne room by King Pedro I, who received ambassadors and personalities in it. It is a square room with a dome, where the square symbolizes the earth and the dome the universe. This type of construction is inspired by the Arab qubba. The most important qubba for Muslims is the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. It is a masterpiece of Mudejar art. The present dome was built in 1427 by the carpenter Diego Ruiz.
Hall of the Infants
In this place the children of the king slept. Later it was transformed into a dining room. The main room is rectangular and is located in the center. On both sides there are two smaller alcoves that are square in shape.
Gardens of the Alcazar
Created by the Muslims in the late Middle Ages, they were each time expanding more and more coming to have at present more than 170 species of plants. In these gardens are the pond of Mercury, the garden of the Dance and the garden of the Ladies.
Gallery of the Grotesques
In the garden we can see a construction that was part of the Almohad wall. In the 17th century it lost its defensive character and between 1613 and 1621 it was transformed as a decorative element. This work was entrusted to the Italian artist Vermondo Resta, based in Seville, adopting the mannerist style that he introduced in Seville from his native Italy.
Alcoba's Cenador
Built by Juan Fernandez in 1546, it has its origin in an old Islamic Qubba. It is surrounded by the gardens of the new Labyrinth. It is also known as the Pavilion of Charles V.
Opening hours
From October to March it is open from 9:30 am to 17:00.
From April to September from 9:30 to 19:00.
Closed: January 1, January 6, Good Friday and December 25.
Rates
General admission is 13.50 €.