Torre del Oro y el Paseo de las Delicias

In the 13th century A.D., the Almohad (Moorish) dynasty constructed a fortification wall around the city of Sevilla. The tallest part of the structure, the Torre del Oro (Tower of Gold), still stands beside the Río Guadalquivir, and the smaller Torre de la Plata (Tower of Silver) is nearby. This afternoon, I visited the Torre & took an audio tour of its convoluted history. The math major in me was fascinated to discover that each tower in the fortification wall became taller & more multi-faceted until the wall culminated in the dodecagonal Torre del Oro. Over the centuries, the Torre was used by both Muslim & Christian rulers for a variety of purposes, including a prison, a storehouse for treasures from the New World, an embarking point for royal vacations, an entertainment venue for royalty, & a meetingplace for rulers & their mistresses. There were also failed attempts to convert it into a lighthouse (the beacon-looking structure is purely for decoration) & an office space (which is the reason the fortress has so many windows). The structure has been renovated several times, most notably after the Lisbon earthquake of 1755 caused the Torre considerable damage. While the origin of the tower's name is still subject to debate, the favored theory seems to be that the tower was once covered in a golden material.

After my tour of the Torre, I retraced my steps to find what I believe is the Torre de la Plata, the lesser-known (& obviously lesser-treasured) remaining tower. Then I wandered along the Paseo de las Delicias, which runs parallel to the Guadalquivir, & found some other interesting buildings. Seeing the river makes me feel a bit connected with the city; just like Pittsburgh, Sevilla was built for its proximity to the river. Although the addition of canals has significantly lowered the water level in the centuries since the city's birth, it's still clear how intertwined Sevilla & the Guadalquivir have become. It's just one more familiar elemant in what is both literally & figuratively a foreign land.

Photos here.

Nos vemos, Le <3.