The Sevillian Life

London is a bit dull and gray in January. The antidote? A weekend in sunny and warm southern Spain. A few plates of tapas, some vino tinto and the company of a good friend who just moved to the city were just what the doctor ordered.

Sevilla is a lovely two-thousand year old city which has played host over the centuries to the Romans, Vandals, Visigoths, Moors and finally the Spanish - all of whom contributed to its character. The result is a unique and beautiful layering of architectural and religious styles. The Romans left behind an amphitheatre and other ruins that can be seen in the ancient Roman town Italica, now Santiponce, which is a 15 minute bus ride from downtown Sevilla. The Moors built the city walls, Mosques with tall minarets (from which the call to prayer is issued) and a fort-palace in the old city center. The Christians built their Gothic churches around and over the mosques (although they left one beautiful minaret, the Giralda, intact for use as a bell tower) and expanded and converted the Moorish fort into a palace called the Alcazar for the medieval rulers of the Iberian peninsula. Taking a cue from the original Islamic design, the Alcazar was built in beautiful Mudejar style with tile and latticework in room after room in a layout punctuated by inner courtyards and surrounded by gardens. Gothic elements were added to the palace later and Christian and nationalistic symbols of Sevilla were layered over the original design.

During the Spanish Golden Age of the 15th and 16th centuries, Spain’s territories in the New World were controlled and administered from Sevilla. All the riches brought back from the colonies sailed there first and all administrative decisions concerning the running of the Spanish empire in the Americas were taken there. This added to the cultural and literal richness of the city.

After a day of seeing the sights, my friend and I went to a Flamenco show in a converted warehouse space in the old Jewish quarter (Santa Cruz). A dancer, singer and flautist took turns being the center of attention with the traditional guitar music as background. The ambiance, sangria and great performance combined to create a perfect last evening in Sevilla.

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