Attractions in Historic Centre (Seville)

Iglesia de San Gil

This church is one of the few samples of Alphonsine architecture that remains in Seville, having been founded in the 13th century by Archbishop Don Remondo, who named the parochial church "San Gil" for the parish where he was baptized in his native city of Segovia. It was looted and destroyed in the Civil War in 1936, and a large portion of its artistic heritage thereby disappeared. You can also enter the church by way of the Basilica of the Macarena, through one of the doors on the side of the altar. Entering on this side, you will find a beautiful Gothic door that opens to the church.

Basílica de Nuestro Padre Jesús del Gran Poder

Step through the neo-baroque doorway of this church with its stone-carved coat-of-arms and you'll be struck by a ringing silence. It's the sort of silence that has been generated by fervent worship over the centuries. The interior contains two of Juan de Mesa's impressive 17th century statues of Jesús del Gran Poder and San Juan Evangelista. You'll also find a beautiful ornamental processional float designed by Ruiz Gijón. The best time to visit is just before the procession leaves during Easter Week.

Ayuntamiento

It's one of the most beautiful examples of plateresque architecture. Two architects were involved in the building work: Diego de Riaño began it in 1527, and Demetrio de los Ríos continued it in the 19th Century. Of the building's two facades, the most interesting is the one that can be seen from Plaza de San Francisco, as it is covered in decorative detail. Inside, there are several very beautiful rooms. Among the most notable are the Apeadero and the Sala Capitular, because of the way they are decorated, although there are also other rooms inside, such as the Sala de los Fieles Ejecutores and the Salón Colón, whose walls are reminiscent of a Medieval castle. The staircase and banister are two notable features, as well as the beautiful pictures that hang on its walls.

Palacio de la Condesa de Lebrija

The most notable thing about this Sevillian house palace is that it is tiled with Roman mosaics brought from Itálica. It has a central courtyard surrounded by columns, and three rooms containing a large number of valuable antiques. The 16th and 17th century tiles are also worth having a look at, as are the Mudéjar style coffered ceiling and the portico statues. 

Iglesia de San Esteban

Iglesia de San Esteban is a mudéjar-style church dating from the late 14th century and it is richly decorated inside. The most outstanding feature is the series of Zurbarán paintings that line the walls of the main chapel. The ornamental plasterwork in the sacramental chapel is worth looking at too. The 16th century glazed tiling on the front of the high altar table is a fine example of its type. The famous seated sculpture of Our Father Jesus of Health and Travel is located in one of the side chapels with a window onto the street. Travelers leaving the old city gate that used to stand near here worshiped this statue. This church is plain and simple in contrast to some of the more ornate Sevillian houses of worship.

Palacio Arzobispal

This is the seat of Seville's archdiocese and the archbishop's residence. Located just across from Giralda (La) and 10m from the cathedral, the Archbishop's Palace has one of the best locations of the city. It is built on the site of an old 13th-century palace. Building work on the present place began in the 16th century.The collection of artistic treasures here is quite extraordinary, and includes works by the painters Zurbarán, Velázquez, Valdés Leal and Murillo. You can enter the palace only on certain occasions, such as the home-made cakes fair held before Christmas.

Iglesia de San Buenaventura

The architect Diego López Bueno was responsible for building this church in about 1622. Four years later, Francisco de Herrera "the elder" created the outstanding plasterwork and frescoes on the interior walls. The main altarpiece features the legendary statue of the Inmaculada, known popularly as "La Sevillana". The large collection of gold and silver work includes rococo, neo-classical and enormous modern pieces.

Iglesia de San Pedro

Iglesia de San Pedro, the Gothic-Mudéjar church dates from the 14th century, but the doorways you walk through to enter the building were constructed in the 17th century. Martín Cardino's 1624 sculpture of Saint Peter (San Pedro) is located in the upper part of the church. The famous painter Diego Velázquez was baptized here under the superbly crafted wooden ceiling and alongside the eight side-chapels. Many important works of art are housed in this church, including Zurbarán's Santa Faz, the Alegoría de la Eucaristía by Lucas Valdés and various paintings by Pedro de Campaña and Francisco de Herrera. There are also sculptures and craft work by Felipe de Rivas and Juan Bautista Vázquez.

Iglesia de Omnium Sanctorum

The church dates back to the late 13th century and still retains an entrance with a pointed arch and archivolts from that period. There's another stone doorway on the right hand side alongside the windows with scalloped arches. The tower dates from the early 15th century and it's scalloped-arch decoration was inspired by the cathedral's Giralda Tower. The main chapel houses the statue of "La Virgen de Todos los Santos", carved by Roque de Balduque in the 16th century. In addition, there are copies of Murillo, Volterra and Andrés de Ocampo's religious paintings. The ruined palace belonging to the aristocratic Algaba family lies behind the church and legend has it that the beautiful Coronel sisters were born here in the 14th Century.

Convento de Santa Clara

In this convent you can see artistic elements belonging to the different stages of the city's history, from the Arab period to the purest 17th century baroque style. The church, built in the 15th century, contains features of Gothic and Mudéjar art. There is a Mudéjar style coffered ceiling, although the head of the church has a ribbed vault, similar in style to Santa Marina Church, but with a single nave.There is some splendid tile work, as well as a beautiful altarpiece that could have been made using drawings by Martínez Montañés, one of the masters of baroque art in Seville. Next to the church is the Torre de Don Fadrique, a tower that houses the Archaeological Museum.

Plaza de la Magdalena

This bustling square is located near the major shopping district of Calle Rioja that hosts some of the most posh stores in the area. The plaza itself is also home to a small but popular market that sells a variety of goods, from leather bags to fresh produce. Nearby you can find the impressive baroque-style Magdalena church, which is a major draw for architectural buffs and religious travelers alike.

Capilla de Santa María de Jesús

The "Little Chapel of the Puerta de Jerez" is the only remaining part of the original University of Seville, founded by Maese Rodrigo de Santaella in 1506.The university building, a painting of which can be seen in the chapel's main altarpiece, still stood until the 20th century, but was demolished to widen the access roads into the city, and only the main part of the façade was kept in the grounds of the Santa Clara Convent.The chapel is an example of late Gothic-Mudéjar style. Three façades can be seen from the outside: the one at the upper end, the one on the right with its beautifully ornate Gothic arched window and two square ones between columns,and the main façade, which is built of brick, with a simple Arab style arch. The main altarpiece, by the German painter Alejo Fernández, dates from 1520.Masses:11a Su & holidays.