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May 3110 min read

Entry 4

Monday, May 27th

Today, I took the 10:30 train from Madrid to Sevilla. On the train ride, I continued to work on my blog. I was able to see the Spanish landscape from the train. It seemed dry and very hilly with several rows of olive trees.

When I got to Hotel Don Paco, I unpacked everything and just explored the city. The first thing I noticed was this large wooden structure that has Mercado de La Encarnación.


I got bull-tail croquetas and fried potatoes for lunch at La Centuria. I was surprised by the many religious pictures of saints in the restaurant.


Then, I decided to take a walk around the neighborhood. I found a nice church which had a statue of a Sevillan nun and saint, Santa Ángela de la Cruz, who founded the religious congregation, Compañía de la Cruz (Iglesia de Santa Bárbara (Convento de Las Salesas Reales), n.d.).

Next, I relaxed at a nice park where there is a statue of a man holding a guitar.


Then, I took a long walk to Plaza España. I was going to go there anyway with my group, but I wanted as much time as I wanted with the place. I noticed the alleys were very narrow with very narrow sidewalks.


Some buildings had a patio right with some trees in front of the main entrance which is a relic of moorish patio design. I also ran into a series of horses and buggies just riding along the street.


After that, I walked along and spent some time inside Jardines de Murillo, named after the Sevillian painter.


Then, I entered the plaza from the side with the pool where there were geese and people rowing boats.

Next, I went up a flight of stairs and looked at the view of the whole plaza. I was very crowded, but I was able to get a few spectacular pictures.

I tried to get to a higher floor, but those parts were locked off. After that, I spent some time just enjoying the plaza and taking more pictures.




Interestingly, there is an alcove for each province in Spain that support the walls of the structure.

On my way back to Hotel Don Paco, I passed through a nice park with a pool and fountains.

At 8 pm, we all went to the Triana neighborhood to have a class meal. The best part of the meal was the manchego cheese and ham. Unfortunately, I didn’t like most of the food. But, I at least tried all the food. After dinner, I just went straight to bed at Hotel Don Paco.


Tuesday, May 28

Today, we went to Real Alcázar in Sevilla. The first major contribution to the Alcázar was by the moors in the 10th century, and it was expanded by the Christian rulers of Sevilla after Sevilla was conquered in 1248 (“Alcázar of Seville,” 2024). First, we walked through a very thick outer wall which served as additional protection for the alcázar.

In numerous areas inside the alcázar, I saw that there were many horseshoe arches and multicolor geometries typical of Moorish architectural design.



We also looked at several tapestries. For example, one depicts piracy and kidnapping in the Mediterranean.

Afterwards, I went into the gardens around the alcázar, which had several pools, fountains, palm trees, and vegetation cut in several cubicles.


Later, I went to Iglesia Colegial del Divino Salvador which was originally constructed as a mosque in the 9th century and then was converted into a church when Fernando III conquered Sevilla in 1248 (“Iglesia Del Salvador (Sevilla),” 2024). First, I explored the inner area of the church. I was able to take pictures of the altar, roof, and the side-altars.


Then, I went to a hidden area behind the altar where there were many paintings and vaults located on the floor.


There was also a centuries-old book on display.

Later, I went to the underground crypt which contains remains of the original mosque, the graves of children, parts of the first collegiate church, and holy relics.


Later, I went to Donaire Azabache for croquetas and a brownie with ice cream.


When I was walking to Sevilla’s city hall, I realized that people will put up white sheets between buildings to act as shade for everyone below.

Next, I relaxed for a while in the park which faces the city hall.

I also learned about the origin of the motto NO8DO where the 8 refers to a madeja de lana or a spool of wool (Sevilla, 2024). When spoken, it sounds like “no me ha dejado” or “[Sevilla] has not abandoned me” which could refer to the people of Sevilla remaining loyal to Alfonso X who sought refuge in Sevilla after an uprising by his son Sancho (Sevilla, 2024).

Afterwards, I went into the cathedral of Sevilla. The professor explained that the cathedral is so large and has many stained glass windows because gothic architecture brings more stability than earlier architectural styles like the Romanesque style. Inside, the cathedral is colored gray and is supported by very large and thick columns. The cathedral also plates the most important areas, like the altar, with gold.


We also saw the resting place of Christopher Columbus, known in Spain as Cristóbal Colón. According to the professor, Columbus said that he would never be buried in Spain, so as a way to respect his wishes, Columbus’s body is suspended above the ground. Another thing I noticed is the symmetry in the architectural structure, which is manifest looking at the ceiling.


Later, I went up to the tower and the bell rang right as I was underneath it. But, I was still able to get a nice view of Sevilla.


Then, we went to another part of the cathedral where I noticed the walls had many intricate designs. There, I learned about Santa Justa and Rufina who the professor said were earlier christians from Sevilla persecuted by the Romans. According to the professor, in the painting, the pottery symbolizes Sevilla, the building in the background represents the cathedral, and the gnawing of their feet by the lion represents their persecution by the Romans. Interestingly, their feast day in Sevilla is celebrated on my birthday, July 17th (“Justa y Rufina,” 2024).

When I got back to Hotel Don Paco, I went to the roof and took pictures of the view of Sevilla.

At 8:30 pm, we all left to go to Plaza España and then hike a mountain. I took some more nice pictures, but unfortunately, our class visit was cut short because one of the girls got her phone and wallet stolen. So, I had to return to the hotel without hiking the mountain. It felt like the view was better the second time I went to Plaza España, and in retrospect, it was a good idea to spend as much time as I wanted the first time I was there.

When I got back to the hotel, I just went to bed.


Wednesday, May 29th

Today, I woke up and had breakfast for an hour, then I packed and triple checked I didn’t leave anything behind. In comparison, both of my roommates were sleeping until 10:30 am and missed breakfast. Afterwards, the professor and I went to Museo de Bellas Artes de Sevilla. Right outside of the museum is a statue of Murillo, a Sevillan painter, who the Jardines of Murillo is named after. The professor said the museum used to be a convent where monks would seclude themselves from the rest of the world and pray all day.


The ground floor has many square patio courtyards with four walls around each square. Going up the stairs, not only does the museum house great works of art, but its ceilings are also works of art too. One ceiling, according to the professor, has the emblems of the religious order that owned the convent with sea shells representing Santiago. Another ceiling is in a mudéjar style with multi-color geometric patterns and symmetry.



Then, the professor showed me a painting and sculpture of St. Jerome who the professor said was living in the desert and transcribing the bible. Apparently, the creator was Pietro Torrigiano who broke Michelangelo’s nose and had to flee Florence (Cellini, 1563).

I also saw a few works by El Greco which means “the Greek one”. Because his last name is so long, I can understand why he was called this.

Next, I admired a picture of San Bruno meeting the pope, who, according to the professor, was also a former student of San Bruno.

The professor told me the only Goya painting in the museum depicts a lawyer of Christian law who was hiding Goya in his home, and that Goya was dissatisfied with the painting.

Then, the professor gave me some time to wander around the place and look at some more paintings. One I liked is called Sevilla en Fiestas by Gustavo Bacarisas in 1915 (Museum of Fine Arts of Seville, n.d.). Another is called Vista de Sevilla by Nicolás Jiménez Alpériz in 1893 (Museum of Fine Arts of Seville, n.d.).


After going to the museum, I went to La Gorda de las Setas recommended by the professor. There, I had Salmorejo which was a thick, cold tomato soup. I also had Croquetas with ham and cheese as well as garlic bread with cheese and York ham.


Then, we took the train back to Madrid where I was able to work on my blog. The train was delayed so I and three others were the only people to arrive at Yugo in time to get dinner at the cafeteria. After dinner, I unpacked everything and went to bed.


Thursday, May 30th

I am glad to be back in Madrid. The thing I like the best about being back is that it is not as hot as Sevilla. This morning, I was able to relax more, have some mate, watch the news where politicians were insulting each other (and their spouses), and have breakfast with everybody else. We went to Museo Cerralbo which, according to the professor, was the former house of the Marqués of Cerralbo. We had to split into two groups and my group was second. The wait was pretty boring but at least I was part of the tall people group.

When I walked through the front door, I saw statues, marble pillars and tiles, paintings, and a large staircase.

Then, we went outside to the garden which is not perfectly orderly and trimmed like the French style of gardening but lets the trees grow a little bit. There were also many statues with noses broken off by the French, and, according to the professor, this was a relatively common practice in the past. Perhaps this statue was the inspiration for Voldemort.


Next, we went back into the building. Every room seemed to have a chandelier, several mirrors and paintings, and drapes. Only a few rooms stood out to me. One is the salón comedor or eating room. I was expecting a much larger table, but at the same time, there is gold plating on the wall and on the chandelier. I also liked the knight room where there were knights’ armor, weapons, and a banner.


The orient room was the most eccentric, since it has Arab chairs, samurai armor, a katana and east-Asian art.

The gossip room had a blue bell in the center of the table. The ballroom's ceiling was spectacular with its use of gold plating, lighting, and depiction of heaven.


We also looked at the ballroom which is covered in gold and mirrors, and I got a fantastic picture of two conjoining hallways.


Afterwards, I came back to Yugo, did some laundry, and worked on my blog. Later, I got myself a napolitana at La Tahona and then got dinner at Yugo. Then, I worked more on the blog and went to bed.


Academic Analysis: Faith

When I was in Sevilla, I wondered why the Cathedral of Sevilla has been so important and what it represents.

The diocese of Sevilla originally started in the 3rd century and was elevated to an archdiocese in the 4th century (Sevilla {Seville} (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy], n.d.). So, even before the Moors, it appears Sevilla was an important place for Christianity and religion. In 1163, the invading Almohads from North Africa moved their capital to Sevilla (“Su Historia,” n.d.). Consequently, the capital would need a fitting mosque. So, construction of the great mosque of Sevilla started in 1172 and La Giralda tower was inaugurated in 1198 (“Su Historia,” n.d.). This tower is built in a Moorish style with the trademark horseshoe arches. This switch to Sevilla being the capital made Sevilla not only the political capital of the Almohads but also the religious capital.


After Fernando III conquered Sevilla in 1248, the mosque was converted into a cathedral (Catedral de Sevilla | History, Description, & Facts | Britannica, 2024). Starting in the 15th century, the Spanish built the current cathedral on the site of the original mosque (Catedral de Sevilla | History, Description, & Facts | Britannica, 2024). Rather than building the cathedral in the mujéjar style, the cathedral was built in the Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Plateresque styles during its reconstruction from the beginning of the 15th century to the end of the 17th century (Catedral de Sevilla | History, Description, & Facts | Britannica, 2024; “Su Historia,” n.d.). This is when much of the interior artwork was constructed. Interestingly, the only other remnant of the original mosque besides La Giralda is the Patio de los Naranjos (Catedral de Sevilla | History, Description, & Facts | Britannica, 2024).


The reason why the cathedral was reconstructed is that the Spanish wanted to construct a fitting cathedral for the city as an affluent trading center (Catedral de Sevilla | History, Description, & Facts | Britannica, 2024). This makes sense, since seeing the architectural and artistic masterpiece of the cathedral implies that the city had the money and the necessary connections to build it in the first place. So, the cathedral not only represents the religious significance of Sevilla, but it also represents the economic and political importance the city has had.

The impact of faith in Sevilla is clear even in the physical landscape of the city. I noticed many streets were named after saints, restaurants had religious names, and one restaurant I visited had several pictures of saints. The Cathedral of Sevilla is the largest Gothic church in the world and the third largest church in the world (SL, n.d.). Consequently, the cathedral’s great size reflects the great impact faith has had on daily life in Sevilla.


What I can take away is that the Cathedral of Sevilla is not just a church, but it is a work of art, a symbol of power, prestige and economy, and reflects the impact faith has had on daily life in Sevilla.


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