Holy week in Seville, Spain

Wonders city,since the 16th century!

Well known for this saying “Quien no ha visto Sevilla no ha visto maravilla!” (Meaning more or less ” who has never seen Seville, has never seen wonders”), the city of Seville is the biggest city of Andalusia and not only in size!

With a very strong culture and history, the city has always attracted people from everywhere in the world for being the city of Bizet’s “Carmen”, Flamenco, Tapas and Toreros.

Beside, one of the most famous and important religious event within Spain takes place every year in the city. This event is the Semana Santa. It is celebrated in the week leading up to Easter.

From the 1st to the 8th of April, will be featured the procession of pasos (religious statues of every single scenes of the events of the Passion) or images of the Virgin Mary. Some of the sculptures are antiquities and are considered as artistic masterpieces. They are culturally and spiritually important to the local Catholic population.

These spectacular and emotional fiestas are a demonstration of Religious devotion but it is also an artistic, colourful and musical combination in acts to commemorate the death of Jesus Christ.

Every Year during this period, the city shows its religious aspect calling pilgrims and tourists to walk it’s streets and visit it’s amazing museums, Churches and other great monuments. The weather being wonderful, having a promenade through the city gardens, buying some Seville’s specialities in the numerous markets of the city is a great pleasure. Don’t miss a visit to the “arena della real maestranza”, one of the most famous and oldest matador arena of Spain.

The main sights to visit in Seville:

The Giralda, it is the emblem of Seville. The bell tower was formerly the Mohammedan minaret.

The Cathedral, built in the 15th century (the biggest Gothic Church in the world). Where you will find the body of Christopher Columbus. Close to the Cathedral, the Alcázar (fortified palace with beautiful gardens) is worth a visit.

There is numerous Baroque churches that can be visited in Seville, like La Magdalena or El Divino Salvador. Other really famous churches: the San Luis, the Basilica de la Macarena with its famous “Virgin of the Macarena”, the Santa Catalina and the Santa Ana.

The Torre del Oro, high of 36 meters, is a reconstructed Arab tower from the 13th century.

Some interesting museums: Museo de Artes y Costumbres Populares, (the Museum of Art and Popular customs), Fine Art Museum, which is the biggest pinacotheca of Spain where you can find works by Murillo, Zurbarán and El Greco. The Museo Arqueológico, the Archaeological Museum…

The Barrio Santa Cruz quarter which are narrow streets, several places, nice facades and courtyards (nearby the Cathedral).