Sevilla is located in southern Spain, and is the capital of Andalucía Region and is a port on the Guadalquivir River. The port is accessible to oceangoing ships. Among the city's exports are wine, olives, oranges, and metal ores. Industries include fish canneries, distilleries, and the manufacture of iron, porcelain and earthenware, tobacco, textiles, soap, and furniture.
Tourism is important to Sevilla's economy. Many landmarks in the city date from the Middle Ages, such as the Alcázar, a royal palace built by the Moors in 1181. Traces of early Moorish civilization are also evident in the small, winding streets, the low, white houses with balconies, the courtyards, and the fountains, as well as in the remains of a wall that once surrounded the city. A vast Gothic cathedral, started in 1402 and finished in 1519, stands on the site of a 12th-century Muslim mosque.
The cathedral houses world-renowned paintings by such famous Spanish artists as El Greco, Murillo, and Zurbarán. The Giralda, the cathedral's bell tower, standing more than 91 meters (more than 300 ft) high, originally served as the minaret, or calling tower, for the mosque. The University of Sevilla (1502) is located in the city. The Archives of the Indies, a large collection of books, manuscripts, and documents on the history and administration of the Spanish Empire in the Americas, has been stored at the Casa Lonja in the city since 1785.
Sevilla's population is about 775,000.
Home |
