Real Alcázar de Sevilla

 10 April 2022

The visit to the Real Alcázar de Sevilla (Royal Palace of Seville) is supposed to take about 2 hours; I think it took me about 3 1/2. Firstly, it is huge and labyrinthine. Secondly, there are many different parts with different themes. Thirdly, I need time to absorb and assimilate what I'm seeing. 

This one is really difficult to blog because I have SO many photos that it's overwhelming to decide which ones to use. Every photo is a memory for me, but I know that in order for this to be readable for others, I need to pare it down to a few interesting and relevant images. A seemingly impossible task, as I started with about 300 photos just of the Real Alcázar.

Here we are in the very first courtyard, before the main gate.

To the left is a small square chamber from the Moorish period which was used as a hall of justice. It features a domed ceiling, elaborately carved decoration, and a small fountain in the floor which feeds water into a pond in the tiny garden beyond.

Passing through the main gate into the larger palace courtyard. The main gate is straight ahead and leads to the Mudejar (architectural style after the reconquest by the Spanish, blending Moorish and Spanish aspects) part of the palace.

I began by exploring along the right hand side. Pretty iron grated window.

Courtyards with fountains are everywhere in the palace, presumably to provide bearable places to spend time when summer is at its hottest here.

There was a small exhibition of fans from various countries, including England, France, China, and Spain.

Another passageway led to this private chapel. I don't know what the ship represents; there were surprisingly few informational plaques.

This stairway of painted tiles is one of the highlights of the palace.

The staircase and its hanging lantern remind me very much of  the Santa Barbara County Courthouse in my California hometown, the design of which imitates the Moorish style and incorporates elements very much like these.

Below the staircase was this door....

... which was very short!

View down to the courtyard from the gallery at the top of the stairs, looking back toward the main gate.

From the same vantage point, looking toward the main entrance to the Mudejar part of the palace.

There was a nice exhibit of local tile and ceramic design. Triana is a neighborhood across the river.

Behind the stairs was a passageway through to what was the house of the palace caretaker, if I understood correctly. It was pretty luxurious, so this must have been a high status position.

Behind this house were a series of small courtyards. In one of them was this tiled area which demonstrates just how readily available marble was in this region, that they would make a drain from it.

And tucked off in a corner was this plant, which was still covered in red clay sand or "calima" from the recent sandstorm that made the news due to its severity across the whole of Spain.

Now, time to enter the Mudejar palace. This carving was just inside the door and I am curious about the seemingly Celtic knotwork elements in this Arabic design. This kind of knotwork can be seen in a number of ancient cultures and this has me wondering whether it developed independently in each, or whether it traveled from one to another.

Here is where it gets really hard to choose the photos to use, because everywhere I turned there were incredible details. This is in a doorway; the white stone is the arch of the doorway and the brown carved wood is the face of the open door.

In the center of this section was a garden with orange trees and a beautiful water feature.

Surrounding the garden area was a covered walkway leading to a series of rooms, each with different motifs and themes. This one features gold painted lions and castles and carved designs.

I think that the section above the gold painted lion is Arabic writing, not just a design.

The ceilings are lavishly decorated as well as the walls.

At first glance this looks like stained glass. An example of how art imitates nature, as it's just a garden behind a window.

Even the reflections are exquisite.

Dreaming of Arabian Nights...

This courtyard had a glass roof, perhaps it was for rainy days.

This tiny corner chamber struck me as unusual because the floor had not yet been restored and displays the effects of time and wear.

And now, heading outside to tour the gardens, a much needed brain break after all this grandeur.

Just outside the door was a wisteria arbor. The scent of wisteria, to me, is as lovely as that of orange blossoms. One of my favorite flowers, and it blooms for such a short time.

I didn't know orange trees could be square... but yes, yes they can.

The open area of the gardens, complete with peacocks. A tempting place for a picnic, but the guards were going around clearing out anyone who sat on the grass. A few benches would not go amiss here.

This royal fellow posed in the sun for me, but sadly my photo does not fully convey the incredible iridescence of his feathers.

Artwork you would expect in a royal garden...

... and some you wouldn't expect. Hello, Mr. Rooster.

There was an entire section that was a large orange grove, and it seems to be the season for it to be in blossom. The aroma was amazing. I could have stayed there all day... if there were only a bench to sit on.

Behind this column you can see a raised gallery which offers a view of the gardens to both sides. These palace gardens were easily as large as most municipal botanical gardens I have visited.

The entrance to the gallery is in an ivy covered wall, like a mystery just waiting to be explored.

The outer wall of the viewing gallery has rough stone as if to emulate a grotto. It seemed strange and out of place but art is art, I suppose... since it's L-shaped I am looking back on it here to show the weird facade.

Behind me is a hedge maze. I did not go in as by this time I'd been walking about 3 hours. I'm a slow tourist when I'm alone and don't have to keep up with anyone.

This is the fountain of Mercury, what a lovely pool.

The day was heating up, and it looked and sounded so cool and appealing.

 View of the pool from three different sides.

To the left in the above photo is the "Gothic" section of the palace. Underneath it are the baths of the queen at that time. Since Sevilla is hot most of the year, the baths are cold and underground in the shade. The entrance looks as if it originally had frescoes painted on the ceiling.

After passing through a short tunnel, the baths are there and they are incredible. I'm not sure why they are referred to in the plural, as there is only one bathing pool. Everything in this part of the palace is built with Gothic style arches, even the baths.

Even the walkway along the side is beautiful.

The sound in the chamber was also great. A child was hallooing down through a grating and he was so surprised when I went under him and halloed back! We then repeated the game on the other side of the tunnel.

Heading up to the Gothic section of the palace. Stepping inside, there is a large hall with Gothic arches and elaborately painted Spanish tiles on the walls.

Here is a detail of the tile. It says "Pensamiento" (thought).

The walls of the next room were covered with enormous tapestries. I loved the ceiling in this room, I found the color combination really appealing. (Orange Dramsicle!)

There is also a chapel in this section of the palace, stylistically matching the main hall.

I like when the wood carvings are left natural as in this piece.

 

I'm not certain (again lack of descriptive plaques) but I think this might be a harpsichord? Whatever the instrument, it is gorgeous.

How I would love to have a sitting / dining nook overlooking a garden like this.... sigh....

Are folding chairs modern invention? Nope, think again! Check out this portable folding bench.

Now I'm really feeling pretty tired, so I'm making my way toward the exit.... and still can't stop finding beautiful things to photograph. What struck me here, and which doesn't show up very well in the photo, was the pair of female statuettes mounted on the wall in this tiny courtyard.

This was the entrance hall through which we exited. The hand laid paving stones are a common art throughout Spain and I always find them lovely.

Outside of that doorway is a very large courtyard which is open to the public and not part of the palace tour. Yes, of course it's lined with orange trees, why do you ask?

When in Spain, ALWAYS watch where you are walking! This is a very clever irrigation system for the trees, but also a terrible trip hazard, and just half meter to the left is a curb which the paving stones make nearly invisible.

This day isn't done, I still have photos from the evening. Next entry on the way...