Walls of Seville

Last updated
Walls of Seville
Native name
Spanish: Murallas de Sevilla
Seville - Remparts almohades.JPG
Location Sevilla, Spain
Coordinates 37°24′07″N5°59′12″W / 37.401976°N 5.986553°W / 37.401976; -5.986553
Official nameMurallas de Sevilla
TypeNon-movable
CriteriaMonument
Designated1908
Reference no.RI-51-0000093
Spain location map with provinces.svg
Red pog.svg
Location of Walls of Seville in Spain
Plan of the course that followed the Walls of Sevilla in the 17th century, drawn on the current street of the old town, where it included the layout of the primitive Roman walls as well as preserved sections and other data of interest. MurallasSevilla completo.png
Plan of the course that followed the Walls of Sevilla in the 17th century, drawn on the current street of the old town, where it included the layout of the primitive Roman walls as well as preserved sections and other data of interest.

The Walls of Seville (Spanish: Murallas de Sevilla) are a series of defensive walls surrounding the Old Town of Seville. The city has been surrounded by walls since the Roman period, and they were maintained and modified throughout the subsequent Visigoth, Islamic and finally Castilian periods. The walls remained intact until the 19th century, when they were partially demolished after the revolution of 1868. Some parts of the walls still exist, especially around the Alcázar of Seville and some curtain walls in the barrio de la Macarena.

Contents

The walls originally had eighteen gates or points of access, four of which survive today: Puerta de la Macarena, Puerta de Córdoba, Postigo del Aceite and Postigo del Alcázar. The extant parts of the walls maintain an Almohad appearance, mixed with Classicist air resulting from restorations carried out in the 18th century.

History

Construction during the Roman Empire

The defensive walls were built in times of Julius Caesar, approximately between the years 68 and 65 BC, when he was quaestor of the city. This new fortification was aimed at replacing the old Carthaginian stockade of logs and mud. The walls were expanded and refined during the rule of his son Augustus due to the growth of the city; these were protected by cyclopean towers.

The remains of the materials this stage are only recognizable in the material reused in Caliphate period in the new Walls of the Alcázar of Seville.

In late 2021, for the first time, the remains of a section of the Roman wall of Seville were discovered. Today, these remnants are part of the dividing wall of a building facing Álvarez Quintero Street and another overlooking Plaza de San Francisco. The wall segment is 4.8 meters wide and has two different heights, dating back to around the 3rd century AD. [1]

Expansion in the Islamic period: 9th-12th centuries

Curtain wall in the Alcazar of Seville Muralla alcazar 001.jpg
Curtain wall in the Alcazar of Seville

During the Islamic rule, particularly in the year 844, the city was razed by the Vikings, and the walls were burned down. After that the emir Abderramán II, fourth Umayyad Emir of Córdoba (822–852) rebuilt the walls, which were again destroyed by his great grandson Abd-ar-Rahman III, eighth independent emir (912–929) and first Umayyad caliph of Córdoba (929–961).

In 1023, Abu al-Qasim first King Taifa of Seville (1023–1042), ordered the walls to be raised again to protect the city from Christian troops, and between the 11th century and 12th century a major expansion that doubled the walled enclosure took place. The defense of the city was extended, widened and strengthened, expanding the space protected by the walls in almost twice its old surface. His successors, aware of the progress achieved over the northern Christian kingdoms in the stage of the reconquista, devoted themselves to strengthening their defenses, resulting in the final enclosure of the walls.

The gates of al-Andalusian cities were not built with the road axis but were angled to make it as difficult as possible the siege. Thus, the attackers had to cross several gates and courtyards before entering the city. From the heights defenders fired arrows and poured boiling oil on the attackers. [3]

The Walls after the reconquista: 13th-16th centuries

City Walls and the Torre Blanca in the barrio de la Macarena. In this image, seen one of the two postigos opened to promote communication in the intramural area with the new round. Seville Old City Wall.JPG
City Walls and the Torre Blanca in the barrio de la Macarena. In this image, seen one of the two postigos opened to promote communication in the intramural area with the new round.

After the Christian reconquest of the city by Ferdinand III of Castile in 1248, the Crown of Castile kept the physiognomy of the walls that had been imposed by the Arabs during its construction, and as was usual in the Kingdom of Castile, the successive monarchs swore the privileges of the city at take possession of it in some of its gates, always those of greater social or strategic importance, as symbol of power. In the Puerta de la Macarena swore Isabella I of Castile (1477), Ferdinand II of Aragon (1508), Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and his fiancée Isabella of Portugal (1526), and finally Philip IV (1624), while the Puerta de Goles did Philip II (1570), why it was renamed Puerta Real. [4] [5]

During the reign of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor carried out a major refurbishment of the public or royal gates of the Walls to integrate them into the widening promoted by the monarch in the cities and towns, in order to facilitate the transit of such common carriages in the period. These renovations affected the Puerta de Carmona, that the Puerta de la Carne, the Puerta Real, the Puerta del Arenal, the Postigo del Aceite, where Benvenuto Tortello made works in 1572, and Postigo del Carbón, which was moved from the beginning from the calle Santander until the end of it, as happened with the Puerta de Triana, originally on calle Zaragoza, which was transferred in 1585 farther north, at the confluence of that calle with de San Pablo.

Last period before being partially torn down: 17th-19th centuries

Pipes inside the Walls near the Alcazar of Seville SevillaMurallasAlcazar Tuberias.jpg
Pipes inside the Walls near the Alcazar of Seville

Eventually the military importance of the walls declined, and they were instead valued for the protection they offered against the flooding of the Guadalquivir river. They also had a commercial function, enabling the regulation of traffic passing in and out of the city. This facilitated the collection of taxes attendant on the movement of people and goods, notably the portazgo and the alcabala; it also became a sanitary barrier, used in the control of disease.

In the 18th century the gates were remodelled. The Puerta del Arenal was rebuilt, and a small chapel was opened on the right side of the Postigo del Aceite, where a baroque altarpiece with the image of the Immaculate Conception (patron of barrio del Arenal) was placed, designed by Pedro Roldán; finally the Puerta de San Fernando was raised to the height of the Royal Tobacco Factory.

In 1836, during the invasion of Andalusia by Carlist forces, a moat with a drawbridge was dug near the Puerta de la Macarena in order to strengthen it; at this point the Walls were still intact. From the 1868 revolution onwards, the walls were demolished, primarily due to the growth of the city; a stretch of the wall of the wall from the Macarena to the Puerta de Córdoba survived, including seven square towers and one octagonal one, as well as some sections in the Jardines del Valle and near the Alcazar. Furthermore, the towers Torre Abd el Aziz, Torre de la Plata, Torre del Oro and Torre Blanca, once part of the walled enclosure, remain.

Gates and porticoes of access to the city

Puerta de la Macarena next to the Basilica of its name. Arco de la macarena 002An2022.jpg
Puerta de la Macarena next to the Basilica of its name.
Puerta de Cordoba, adjacent to the Iglesia de San Hermenegildo. Puerta de Cordoba (2).jpg
Puerta de Córdoba, adjacent to the Iglesia de San Hermenegildo.

The access to the city was mainly performed by the called postigos and gates, which were of two types: royals or public, and private. The gates had its layered access, as seen on the Puerta de Córdoba, and lacked decoration. Between gates (puertas) and postigos counted the city with 19 accesses:

Wall city gates
Postigo del Aceite. Sevilla-Puerta Almirantazgo-20110915.jpg
Postigo del Aceite.
Postigos (secondaries wall city gates)

Preserved sections of the walls

Section from Puerta de la Macarena to the Puerta de Córdoba

This is the most extensive and best preserved section (with the exception of two postigo), includes the puertas de la Macarena and de Córdoba, the latter attached to the iglesia de San Hermenegildo, being this gate the best preserved of the Caliphate period; also it includes several towers, among which the Torre Blanca.

Section of the Jardines del Valle

It is the second section of greater length, was hidden from view in the inside of the Convento del Valle, belonging to the order of the Franciscans, which was confiscated in the 19th century, being acquired by the Marquise of Villanueva who donated for the establishment of a school of religious of the sacred heart; that college disappeared in the middle of the 20th century, becoming some time later in the current Jardines del Valle (Gardens of the Valley).

Preserved sections of the walls next to the Torre de la Plata. Torre de Plata de Sevilla.JPG
Preserved sections of the walls next to the Torre de la Plata.
Walls of the alcázar

It must distinguish three types of walls in the alcázar;

• Of ashlar, probably recovered from the early Roman walls, visible near puerta del León area.
• The areas of mud made by the Almohads, some visible, as in the calle Judería, and calle Agua and others that are not visible because these are hidden by buildings of Calle San Fernando -except in some that are public-. Parallel to the walls of the alcázar, was the walls of the city, whose remains were found during works of the Metro, leaving again buried. [8]
• Other rear walls, which close the gardens of the alcázar regarding the jardines de Murillo (gardens of Murillo).
Curtain wall attached to the Torre Abd el Aziz

It is a small curtain wall, visible inside the shop of the building that stands next to the tower.

Postigo del Aceite

The third of the exterior gates of the walls that remains today.

Section in the Plaza del Cabildo

It is a small section of about 50 meters, visible from the plaza del cabildo, as well as from the back street, includes a tower.

Section attached to the Torre de la Plata

This section includes the startup of the Postigo del Carbón, and part of the walls that joined the Torre de la Plata with the Torre del Oro. In this area, were discovered in 2012 the remains of a new tower, dating from the late 11th or early 12th century. [9]

Start of the Puerta Real

It is a small curtain wall at the confluence of the calles Alfonso XIII and Goles.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seville</span> Capital and largest city of Andalusia and the province of Seville in Spain

Seville is the capital and largest city of the Spanish autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the River Guadalquivir, in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carmona, Spain</span> Municipality in Andalusia, Spain

Carmona is a town of southwestern Spain, in the province of Seville; it lies 33 km north-east of Seville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Torre del Oro</span> Watchtower in Seville, Spain

The Torre del Oro is a dodecagonal military watchtower in Seville, southern Spain. It was erected by the Almohad Caliphate in order to control access to Seville via the Guadalquivir river.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alcázar of Seville</span> Royal palace in Seville, Spain

The Alcázar of Seville, officially called Royal Alcázar of Seville, is a historic royal palace in Seville, Spain. It was formerly the site of the Islamic-era citadel of the city, begun in the 10th century and then developed into a larger palace complex by the Abbadid dynasty and the Almohads. After the Castilian conquest of the city in 1248, the site was progressively rebuilt and replaced by new palaces and gardens. Among the most important of these is a richly-decorated Mudéjar-style palace built by Pedro I during the 1360s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Cruz, Seville</span>

Santa Cruz, is the primary tourist neighborhood of Seville, Spain, and the former Jewish quarter of the medieval city. Santa Cruz is bordered by the Jardines de Murillo, the Real Alcázar, Calle Mateos Gago, and Calle Santa María La Blanca/San José. The neighbourhood is the location of many of Seville's oldest churches and is home to the Cathedral of Seville, including the converted minaret of the old Moorish mosque Giralda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Macarena, Seville</span> District of Seville, Andalusia, Spain

Macarena is one of the eleven districts into which the city of Seville, capital of the autonomous community of Andalucía, Spain, is divided for administrative purposes. It is located in the north of the city, bordered to the south by the Casco Antiguo and San Pablo-Santa Justa suburbs, to the east and north by Norte and to the west by Triana. It covers the area between the Guadalquivir River and the Carmona Highway and from the SE-30 ring-road in the north to the Ronda del Casco Antiguo. It contains smaller neighbourhoods such as León XIII, Miraflores, and the Polígono Norte as well as the Miraflores park along the SE-30. The district contains the Andalucian Parliament, the Torre de los Perdigones in the park of the same name, and the Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Casco Antiguo</span> City centre district of Seville, Spain

The Casco Antiguo is the city centre district of Seville, the capital of the Spanish region of Andalusia. The Casco Antiguo comprises Seville's old town, which lies on the east bank of the Guadalquivir river. It borders the districts of Macarena to the north, Nervión and San Pablo-Santa Justa to the east, and the Distrito Sur to the south. Bridges across the Guadalquivir link the Casco Antiguo to Los Remedios, Triana and La Cartuja.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Almohad architecture</span>

Almohad architecture corresponds to a period from the 12th to early 13th centuries when the Almohads ruled over the western Maghreb and al-Andalus. It was an important phase in the consolidation of a regional Moorish architecture shared across these territories, continuing some of the trends of the preceding Almoravid period and of Almoravid architecture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Districts and neighbourhoods of Seville</span>

Seville, the capital of the region of Andalusia in Spain, has 11 districts, further divided into 108 neighbourhoods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Carmona, Spain</span>

The history of Carmona begins at one of the oldest urban sites in Europe, with nearly five thousand years of continuous occupation on a plateau rising above the vega (plain) of the River Corbones in Andalusia, Spain. The city of Carmona lies thirty kilometres from Seville on the highest elevation of the sloping terrain of the Los Alcores escarpment, about 250 metres above sea level. Since the first appearance of complex agricultural societies in the Guadalquivir valley at the beginning of the Neolithic period, various civilizations have had an historical presence in the region. All the different cultures, peoples, and political entities that developed there have left their mark on the ethnographic mosaic of present-day Carmona. Its historical significance is explained by the advantages of its location. The easily defended plateau on which the city sits, and the fertility of the land around it, made the site an important population center. The town's strategic position overlooking the vega was a natural stronghold, allowing it to control the trails leading to the central plateau of the Guadalquivir valley, and thus access to its resources.

There are numerous sights and landmarks of Seville, Spain. The most important sights are the Alcázar, the Seville Cathedral, and the Archivo General de Indias, which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Historic centre of Córdoba</span> World Heritage Site in Spain

The historic centre of Córdoba, Spain is one of the largest of its kind in Europe. In 1984, UNESCO registered the Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba as a World Heritage Site. A decade later, it expanded the inscription to include much of the old town. The historic centre has a wealth of monuments preserving large traces of Roman, Islamic, and Christian times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Shipyards of Seville</span>

The Seville Shipyard is a medieval shipyard in the city of Seville that operated from the 13th century to the 15th century. Composed of seventeen naves, the building was connected to the Guadalquivir River by a stretch of sand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muslim Walls of Madrid</span> Cultural property in Madrid, Spain

The Muslim Walls of Madrid, of which some vestiges remain, are located in the Spanish capital city of Madrid. They are probably the oldest construction extant in the city. They were built in the 9th century, during the Muslim domination of the Iberian Peninsula, on a promontory next to Manzanares river. They were part of a fortress around which developed the urban nucleus of Madrid. They were declared an Artistic-Historic Monument in 1954.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Macarena Gate</span> City gate of the original walls of Seville

The Puerta de la Macarena, also known as Arco de la Macarena, is one of the only three city gates that remain today of the original walls of Seville, alongside the Postigo del Aceite and the Puerta de Córdoba. It is located in the calle Resolana, within the barrio de San Gil, which belongs to the district of Casco Antiguo of the city of Seville, in Andalusia, Spain. The gate faces the Basílica de La Macarena, which houses the image of the Our Lady of la Esperanza Macarena, one of the most characteristic images of the Holy Week in Seville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Postigo del Aceite</span>

The Postigo del Aceite is with the Puerta de la Macarena and Puerta de Córdoba the only three access preserved in today of those who had the walls of Seville, Andalusia, Spain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Puerta Real (Seville)</span> Former city gate of Seville, Spain

The Puerta Real, called until 1570 as Puerta de Goles, was one of the gates of the walled enclosure of the city of Seville (Andalusia). It was located at the confluence of the calles de Alfonso XII, Gravina, Goles and San Laureano, and today only is it a cloth of the wall on which it was based, in which there is embedded a stone that was part of the gate.

The Puerta de Triana was the generic name for an Almohad gate which was later on replaced by a Christian gate at the same place. It was one of the gates of the walled enclosure of Seville (Andalusia).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Town of Cáceres</span> Neighbourhood in Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain

Old Town of Cáceres is a historic walled city in Cáceres, Spain.

References

  1. "Descubren restos de la muralla romana de Sevilla en la Plaza de San Francisco". Diario de Sevilla. 15 October 2021.
  2. The inscription of the azulejo maintains: City Walls of Islamic period (9th-12th c.), which contains the conductions that in the Christian period supplied water to the Royal Alcázar and to the city. Restored by the Planning Department of the City of Seville thanks to the collaboration of Texsa in 1993 .
  3. "Sevilla oculta: Puerta de Córdoba" Culture of Seville
  4. "El arco de La Macarena". Sol.com. Archived from the original on 8 December 2008. Retrieved 12 April 2009.
  5. Romualdo de Gelo Fraile. "Antiguas murallas y puertas de Sevilla" . Retrieved April 12, 2009.
  6. Attached to this gate was the aqueduct known as Caños de Carmona .
  7. On the entrance arch and in Latin prayed: Hercules built me, Julius Caesar besieged me of walls and high towers, and the Saint King won me with Garci Pérez de Vargas.
  8. "A walls under rails". cronicasdelpatrimonio.
  9. "Found a new Almohad tower in the "Casa de la Moneda"". ABC . 29 June 2012. Retrieved March 7, 2013.

See also