On Monday, when the weather was warm and sunny, we toured the Cathedral of Seville. It's the third-largest cathedral in the world, and the largest Gothic-styled building in the world.

This is looking over the Cathedral, at the top of the bell tower. The tower is called La Giralda. Before there was a church here, there was a mosque. This tower was originally the minaret, from which the imams called the worshippers to prayer. After the mosque was abandoned, they knocked it down to build this church. The minaret, however was retained (presumably because it was too well-built to be knocked down!), and they added the belltower part to the top.
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The entrance to the Cathedral (where the tourists go in) is on the side. This was from Monday morning, when we went in.
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This photo was taken on Friday night. The same gate that the Rolls was sitting in front of. There was a wedding going on in the royal chapel.
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An impressive scene in stone.
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The front door.
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To one side of the front door. There was a similar door to the other side. I saw a kid ride up on his bike and ring the bell. I'm not showing you that picture, since it looks much like this one, only shows a kid on a bike instead of Cyn and Donna.
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Enhanced color.
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I am fascinated by the light in this one.
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This was off to one side, so I had to hold the camera through the bars of the window. I'm not sure I could even see what I was shooting.
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I love this twisty turret.
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From the front of the Archivo de Indias.
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This is the plaza next to the Cathedral. It probably has a name. It is original Muslim construction. You can see the gate is in the original style.
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The plaza is full of orange trees. The paving is cut with irrigation channels.
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You can see the gate is in the original style.
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This goofy guy is a sundial at the top of the gate. Not sure when it was added, but I don't think it is original.
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Inside the Muslim walls of the gatehouse is this decidedly Christian sculpture.
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From the outside. Huge, bronze-covered doors, with an intricate Moorish pattern.
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Above the gate. See picture 24. The wall is thick enough that neither construction is visible from the opposite side.
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I had been trailing behind Cyn and Donna, taking pictures. We had toured the Cathedral on Monday, but were coming by it again on Wednesday. When we walked out the first time, I hadn't looked back to see the gate. I had to shoot it, so I ran across the street, and got in the way of a van, to get this shot. After getting beeped at, I ran off down the street, but didn't see Cyn or Donna. It turned out that they were standing at the gate, waiting for me to catch up, but I passed them. If I had shot downward a little, they'd have been in this picture.
And while they were waiting for me, Cyn walked right by the Bishop of Seville. Who happens to be a Cardinal. He would also have been in the picture.
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These saints are on either side of the gate.
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A side gate to the plaza, right at the base of la Giralda.
It look me several hours last night to fix up these pictures, and nearly an hour tonight to upload them and make this post. Next, I'll do the inside of the cathedral, and after that, I'll do a set of pictures of la Giralda itself.

This is looking over the Cathedral, at the top of the bell tower. The tower is called La Giralda. Before there was a church here, there was a mosque. This tower was originally the minaret, from which the imams called the worshippers to prayer. After the mosque was abandoned, they knocked it down to build this church. The minaret, however was retained (presumably because it was too well-built to be knocked down!), and they added the belltower part to the top.
The entrance to the Cathedral (where the tourists go in) is on the side. This was from Monday morning, when we went in.
This photo was taken on Friday night. The same gate that the Rolls was sitting in front of. There was a wedding going on in the royal chapel.
An impressive scene in stone.
The front door.
To one side of the front door. There was a similar door to the other side. I saw a kid ride up on his bike and ring the bell. I'm not showing you that picture, since it looks much like this one, only shows a kid on a bike instead of Cyn and Donna.
Enhanced color.
I am fascinated by the light in this one.
This was off to one side, so I had to hold the camera through the bars of the window. I'm not sure I could even see what I was shooting.
I love this twisty turret.
From the front of the Archivo de Indias.
This is the plaza next to the Cathedral. It probably has a name. It is original Muslim construction. You can see the gate is in the original style.
The plaza is full of orange trees. The paving is cut with irrigation channels.
You can see the gate is in the original style.
This goofy guy is a sundial at the top of the gate. Not sure when it was added, but I don't think it is original.
Inside the Muslim walls of the gatehouse is this decidedly Christian sculpture.
From the outside. Huge, bronze-covered doors, with an intricate Moorish pattern.
Above the gate. See picture 24. The wall is thick enough that neither construction is visible from the opposite side.
I had been trailing behind Cyn and Donna, taking pictures. We had toured the Cathedral on Monday, but were coming by it again on Wednesday. When we walked out the first time, I hadn't looked back to see the gate. I had to shoot it, so I ran across the street, and got in the way of a van, to get this shot. After getting beeped at, I ran off down the street, but didn't see Cyn or Donna. It turned out that they were standing at the gate, waiting for me to catch up, but I passed them. If I had shot downward a little, they'd have been in this picture.
And while they were waiting for me, Cyn walked right by the Bishop of Seville. Who happens to be a Cardinal. He would also have been in the picture.
These saints are on either side of the gate.
A side gate to the plaza, right at the base of la Giralda.
It look me several hours last night to fix up these pictures, and nearly an hour tonight to upload them and make this post. Next, I'll do the inside of the cathedral, and after that, I'll do a set of pictures of la Giralda itself.
no subject
Date: 2009-11-03 09:05 am (UTC)From:No. 22 is the Patio de los Naranjos (orange tree patio), part of the Cathedral complex now. It, along with the Giralda and the Moorish entrance off the patio, are what survive of the original mosque that was on the site. It was the Patio where those who came to worship in the Mosque would wash in the fountain and remove their shoes before entering. It's sometimes called a patio of ablutions.
The juxtaposition of Christian and Moorish is also perfect in 32.
Oh and that shot through the door the night of the wedding is perfect with the rose window in the background.
:)
no subject
Date: 2009-11-03 09:35 am (UTC)From:Every time I see such masterpieces I am in complete awe of how they could ever have been built!
no subject
Date: 2009-11-03 12:45 pm (UTC)From:parts of the cathedral are very reminiscent of la sagrada familia. who's the architect, if you know?
no subject
Date: 2009-11-03 01:44 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-11-04 02:59 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-11-04 02:59 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-11-04 03:01 am (UTC)From:I'm glad I caught him with a grin. Flip him some coins for me, the next time you see him. ;-)
I actually named #28 something like "juxtaposed".
no subject
Date: 2009-11-07 05:45 pm (UTC)From:Thank you for sharing this to pondhopper's journal.
I like the picture of the horse most :)