Sevilla the third largest city in Spain was just a short train ride from Cordoba. The train station Santa Justa was an architecturally pleasing edifice that was clearly as large if not larger than some of our big city Union Stations in the US.
Sevilla or Seville as it is known in the English-speaking world is the capital of Andalucía and is a major hub of finance and culture in the southern region of Spain. The city was founded by the Romans and was named Hispalis but when the Muslims took over in the seventh century, they gave it an Arabic name from which Sevilla is derived. The metropolitan area of greater Sevilla has a population of over a million people. It is the third largest city in Spain following Madrid and Barcelona. The uniqueness of Sevilla is its very well preserved old walled city now ensconced in the greater modern city. It was always fascinating making a left or right turn while driving in the city and suddenly realizing you are in the old city that was built centuries ago. The roads become suddenly narrower, with just one lane of traffic forcing pedestrians to plaster themselves against the wall each time a car drives by on some streets. But just as you are getting comfortable in the confined reality of the tightly close architecture of centuries ago surrounding you, you emerge into the openness of the greater very modern Sevilla. Turning around you probably would notice portions of the ancient wall that rings the old city behind you or the cobbled stone paving of the older streets. And looking further away you catch glimpses of a Roman aqueduct built centuries ago when the area was under roman rule.
Part of the city’s cultural charm is the multitude of Gothic, Mudejer, Baroque and Renaissance architectural pieces that seem to adorn most of the old cityscape. The Cathedral of Seville is one of such edifices. It was built on the site of the city mosque after the re-conquest of the city from the Muslim leadership. The interesting feature is the bell tower, which was originally the minaret of the mosque. In putting a Christian stamp and still preserving the history, the lower portion remained the original minaret but the upper portion was reconstructed into a recognizable church bell tower. It is famously known as the Giralda.
Another feature with a military purpose is the Torre del Oro (Tower of Gold), which was built by the Muslim dynasty of the period as a watchtower for the defense of the city. The tower is an outpost built by the shore of the main river, Guadalquivir, which runs through the city from which the city controlled the boat/ship traffic in the old days. As a defensive posture a chain is extended from the tower across the breadth of the river thereby to check enemy movement towards the city.
An enduring cultural festival that I was privileged to participate in was the Feria de Abril (April Fair), also called La Feria de Sevilla. The fair which started in 1847, and was originally similar to a county fair in the US where livestock is displayed is now a six day affair marked by eating, drinking, dancing and partying to the wee hours of the night. In the evening hours, a new attendant might think they are witnessing a festival of lights, as outlines of every structure in the entire large fair ground is brilliantly lit in rows that create the illusion of a mini colorful city. The entire display is behind a very elaborate main entrance that is molded in patterned lights that look like a sculpted wall of incandescent bulbs in the form of an arched gate overlooking the fairgrounds.
The fairground is actually a large expanse of open land close to the river. During the fair, rows of booths or Casetas (as they are called) are set up by families or businesses and other organizations lining up made-up streets named after famous bullfighters. The women dress in elaborate traditional dresses with gathered and flared out ruffles at the bottoms that fan coquettishly during flamenco or sevillanas dances. The men dress in dark suits with top hats called Cordobes. Not quite the attire for an evening out on a warm city fair evening. But I sure donned black suit, white shirt and tie and was just one of the Sevillanos that evening.
I was a guest at a professional colleagues family Caseta. The two-room Caseta was an impressive space with a wet bar, kitchenette and even restroom facilities. Luis my friend is a well-regarded magistrate so most of the folks invited to his and his wife’s Caseta were fellow attorneys and jurists. Luckily most of them spoke English so it was enjoyable comparing legal systems as we downed gobbles of drinks, noshed on assorted snacks (tapas) and swayed to the Sevillanas dance performing right there in our own Caseta. It was one occasion that everybody mingled with festive abandon and celebrated their traditional roots as they indulged in cultural traditions that give them a uniquely Sevillana identity. Indeed, I was one of them that evening.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Sevilla: Towers, Minarets and Lighted Fair
Sevilla the third largest city in Spain was just a short train ride from Cordoba. The train station Santa Justa was an architecturally pleasing edifice that was clearly as large if not larger than some of our big city Union Stations in the US.
Sevilla or Seville as it is known in the English-speaking world is the capital of Andalucía and is a major hub of finance and culture in the southern region of Spain. The city was founded by the Romans and was named Hispalis but when the Muslims took over in the seventh century, they gave it an Arabic name from which Sevilla is derived. The metropolitan area of greater Sevilla has a population of over a million people. It is the third largest city in Spain following Madrid and Barcelona. The uniqueness of Sevilla is its very well preserved old walled city now ensconced in the greater modern city. It was always fascinating making a left or right turn while driving in the city and suddenly realizing you are in the old city that was built centuries ago. The roads become suddenly narrower, with just one lane of traffic forcing pedestrians to plaster themselves against the wall each time a car drives by on some streets. But just as you are getting comfortable in the confined reality of the tightly close architecture of centuries ago surrounding you, you emerge into the openness of the greater very modern Sevilla. Turning around you probably would notice portions of the ancient wall that rings the old city behind you or the cobbled stone paving of the older streets. And looking further away you catch glimpses of a Roman aqueduct built centuries ago when the area was under roman rule.
Part of the city’s cultural charm is the multitude of Gothic, Mudejer, Baroque and Renaissance architectural pieces that seem to adorn most of the old cityscape. The Cathedral of Seville is one of such edifices. It was built on the site of the city mosque after the re-conquest of the city from the Muslim leadership. The interesting feature is the bell tower, which was originally the minaret of the mosque. In putting a Christian stamp and still preserving the history, the lower portion remained the original minaret but the upper portion was reconstructed into a recognizable church bell tower. It is famously known as the Giralda.
Another feature with a military purpose is the Torre del Oro (Tower of Gold), which was built by the Muslim dynasty of the period as a watchtower for the defense of the city. The tower is an outpost built by the shore of the main river, Guadalquivir, which runs through the city from which the city controlled the boat/ship traffic in the old days. As a defensive posture a chain is extended from the tower across the breadth of the river thereby to check enemy movement towards the city.
An enduring cultural festival that I was privileged to participate in was the Feria de Abril (April Fair), also called La Feria de Sevilla. The fair which started in 1847, and was originally similar to a county fair in the US where livestock is displayed is now a six day affair marked by eating, drinking, dancing and partying to the wee hours of the night. In the evening hours, a new attendant might think they are witnessing a festival of lights, as outlines of every structure in the entire large fair ground is brilliantly lit in rows that create the illusion of a mini colorful city. The entire display is behind a very elaborate main entrance that is molded in patterned lights that look like a sculpted wall of incandescent bulbs in the form of an arched gate overlooking the fairgrounds.
The fairground is actually a large expanse of open land close to the river. During the fair, rows of booths or Casetas (as they are called) are set up by families or businesses and other organizations lining up made-up streets named after famous bullfighters. The women dress in elaborate traditional dresses with gathered and flared out ruffles at the bottoms that fan coquettishly during flamenco or sevillanas dances. The men dress in dark suits with top hats called Cordobes. Not quite the attire for an evening out on a warm city fair evening. But I sure donned black suit, white shirt and tie and was just one of the Sevillanos that evening.
I was a guest at a professional colleagues family Caseta. The two-room Caseta was an impressive space with a wet bar, kitchenette and even restroom facilities. Luis my friend is a well-regarded magistrate so most of the folks invited to his and his wife’s Caseta were fellow attorneys and jurists. Luckily most of them spoke English so it was enjoyable comparing legal systems as we downed gobbles of drinks, noshed on assorted snacks (tapas) and swayed to the Sevillanas dance performing right there in our own Caseta. It was one occasion that everybody mingled with festive abandon and celebrated their traditional roots as they indulged in cultural traditions that give them a uniquely Sevillana identity. Indeed, I was one of them that evening.
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