Alcázar

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The neverending Alcázar

Today, we woke up...later than planned. I guess we should just get used to this eh? Our plan for the day was to go to the Alcázar and then walk around the city a bit. The Alcázar is well....bigger than expected. After 4 hours!!! We ended our tour of the Alcázar.

Sevilla was like Granada in that it used to be a Moorish city, and the Alcázar was the base of the Muslim rulers...however, Sevilla was conquered about 2-300 years before. I can´t remember how many years exactly. Seville became the location of which the Reyes Catolicos planned and strategized the conquer of Granada. Sort of surreal to have spent 3 weeks in Granada, and now go to the place that planned its conquer. Weird.

Well, we spent the 7euro to get into the Alcázar (WELL worth it) an the 3euro to get the audio guide. I highly recommend it. I enjoy knowing the details of a place rather than just seeing it. It tells you which kings and queens had influence over certain rooms. The Alcázar is a mixture of both Christian and Muslim architecture in the palace itself. You walk through rooms that different kings and queens were born in.

There was one king, King Pedro 1 that built a large portion of the castle that now stands. He even had a personal entrance to the castle in case an enemy was there and he wanted to avoid it. He was known to the nobleman as Pedro the Cruel, but to the people he was loved. I didn´t get a whole lot of explanation on that one, but now I want to find out.

Once you make it through the palace itself, you step out into the Gardens...and just when you think you are finished...BAM another garden...and another...and another...and...you get the picture. Hence it took about 4 hours to get through. I will let the pictures speak for themselves and stop the typing here.

ps it is only about 1/3 of my pictures....yeah. i know.

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Photos

Sevilla por la noche
just a cute lit up building

Sevilla por la noche
look at the hot mama!

Sevilla por la noche
Rio Guadalivir...I know I spelled that wrong, it borders the city.

Sevilla por la noche
T for Triana...the tapas place we stopped by over the other side of the River, sort of fun

Sevilla por la noche
yeah...that is 1 euro worth of olives...just sayin...

Sevilla por la noche
it is Disney World, but the REAL THING!!! (Avenida de la constitucion)

Sevilla por la noche
the Cathedral lit up, really, it is breathtaking.

Vergara
this is the walkway up to our Pension...haha. Barely room for your feet.

Alcazar
The first courtyard.

Alcazar
this is the room where much of the plans for conquering Granada and exploring the Americas took place. How crazy is that?!?

Alcazar
from the courtyard you can see the steeple of the Cathedral

Alcazar
Hall of Justice, just off this quaint serenity is where Peter the Cruel did his work. Ironic.

Alcazar
one of the many gardens

Alcazar
one thing that is breathtaking is the many tiles that decorate the Alcazar.

Alcazar
just zoom into the details.

Alcazar
the main courtyard. You are looking into what is the royal palace.

Alcazar
both the floors and ceilings are something to look at!! You can spend 15 minutes in one room...the floor, the ceiling and the walls all have something to look at.

Alcazar
the arches that you typically see in Muslim architecture.

Alcazar
mama, gazing at the water and gardens.

Alcazar
wow.

Alcazar
Mercury, who supposedly protects the gardens. This water is drained from the acqueducts and were used to spread to the rest of the gardens.

Comments

[Jess]

Absolutely gorgeous! I am glad that you are enjoying everything so much but I am also glad you get home next week! Yay!!!! I hope your mom is enjoying Spain as much as you have, tell her hello! P.S. Stormy and Mike say hi!

[mpchegrl]

aww! tell all i say hey back! miss you...for reals.