The site at which the Seville Cathedral was built also served as the former Almohad Mosque. After the conversion of the mosque into a cathedral, several alterations were made in the structure while features like Giralda and Patio de Naranjas being included in the cathedral's architecture.
10 interesting Seville Cathedral facts
Former Almohad Mosque
Girlada's Design Inspiration
La Giralda, the Seville Cathedral bell tower, is the crowning glory of this attraction. It originally served as the minaret of the Almohad Mosque. It has a height of 105 m (343 ft) and its square base is 7.0 m (23 ft). Interestingly, it was built with Morocco's Koutoubia Mosque in mind, which is why there are certain similarities.
Restoration of the Main Dome
Over the years, the main dome collapsed twice, once in 1511 and again in 1888, but both times it was restored to its former glory. The cathedral was subjected to several refurbishments and extensions in different architectural styles, including Renaissance, Neo-gothic, Baroque, and more, becoming a unique architectural wonder.
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Seville Cathedral was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with Alcazar Seville and Archivo General de Indias in 1987. Along with being a former mosque that has been converted into a cathedral, it is an important landmark in the city and is also a burial site for several historic figures.
Largest Gothic Church
Upon its completion in the early 16th century, Seville Cathedral surpassed Hagia Sophia in Istanbul to become the largest cathedral in the world. It is also the largest Gothic church and the fourth-largest church in the world.
- Total Area of Cathedral: 11,520 square meters
- Length: 135 meters
- Width: 76 meters
- Maximum Height in Transept: 42 meters
- Clock Tower Height: 104.5 meters
Chapels & Tombs
Seville Cathedral is home to 80 different chapels including Capilla Real, or the Royal Chapel. According to the official reports, a total of 500 masses were conducted daily in all the chapels in the 19th century. Many famous people have been buried in a few of the chapels including:
- Fernando III of Castile
- Elisabeth of Hohenstaufen
- Alfonso X of Castile
- Christopher Columbus & Ferdinand Columbus
- María Díaz de Padilla
Gothic Mosque
One of the most interesting Seville cathedral facts is that the original building on the site was a mosque built by Moors in the 12th century. It was being built to replace the earlier mosque, as the congregation had grown and couldn’t accommodate everyone in its modest prayer halls. The construction of the mosque was complete by 1176, except for the minaret. In 1248, the mosque was converted into a Christian church, build a new cathedral alongside the converted mosque.
- Commissioned: 1171
- Completed: 1198
La Giralda
Seville Cathedral Bell Tower, La Giralda, is the best part of this cathedral. Another interesting tidbit is that this bell tower was originally built as a minaret of Almohad Mosque between 1184 and 1198. After Reconquista, it was converted into a bell tower with a Renaissance-style top. In the 16th century, the statue called El Giraldillo was added to represent faith in Christianity. The tower is 104.5 meters tall and is one of the most important symbols of Seville since medieval times.
- Height & Length: 104.5 meters, 13 meters
- Square base: 7 meters above sea level
Legends
According to local tradition, the cathedral members said ‘Hagamos una Iglesia tan hermosa y tan grandiosa que los que la vieren labrada nos tengan por locos’, which meant was to build a church that is so beautiful and majestic so that anyone who sees it after completion will think cathedral members to be mad. The original entry from 8th July 1401, also included ‘una tal y tan buena, que no haya otra su igual’ which translated to ‘a building so good that none can be its equal’.
Architecture
Seville Cathedral's architecture is both beautiful and grand. It has 4 huge façades that combine to form 15 majestic doors. Since the cathedral was built in a Gothic architectural style, all the doors are beautifully ornamented. The decorations displayed different scenes from the life of Jesus. The major doors are Door of Baptism, Assumption, Saint Michael, Saint Cristopher, Sticks, Bells, Conception, Lizard, Sanctuary, Forgiveness, Prince, Saint Miguel and Palos.
