Photos

Here's my attempt at this iconic view of Sevilla.

The Giralda anchors one corner of the Cathedral of Sevilla (Santa Iglesia Catedral), which itself is the third largest, after St. Peter's in Rome and St. Paul's in London.

The cathedral was established on the grounds of a Moorish mosque. Christians took control of Sevilla in 1248 and in 1401 they began construction of the cathedral on that site. The cathedral building was completed in 1507.

La Giralda rises above 90 m. It retains evidence of the three main historical periods of Sevilla. Some of the foundational cornerstones were reused materials from Roman times -- Latin inscriptions can be seen. The middle section is the remnants of the minaret from the Moorish period; it was constructed in brick during the period 1184-1198. The topmost level -- from the bells up -- was built during the 16th century.

At the top of the tower is El Giraldillo, a bronze weathervane representing Faith. The current model was placed there several years ago as a copy of the original, which had decayed after four centuries.

The view point is from the southeast, across Plaza del Triunfo, from one of the gates in Alcázar.