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Seville

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Seville is the capital city of Andalusia. It is also the largest city in that Spanish autonomous community. The city sits on the lower reaches of the Guadalquivir River. This river is located in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula.

As of 2024, the municipal population is about 686,741 people. The wider metropolitan area holds about 1.5 million residents. This makes Seville the fifth-largest city in Spain.

MTN50-0984-2006-cns-Sevilla
MTN50-0984-2006-cns-Sevilla

The city's name has many layers of history. Some scholars believe it comes from the Phoenician word *sefela*. This word means "plain" or "valley."

Tesoro del Carambolo - Museo Arqueológico de Sevilla
Tesoro del Carambolo - Museo Arqueológico de Sevilla

During Roman rule, the name became *Hispalis*. After the Islamic conquest in 711, the name changed to *Ishbiliyah*. In Arabic, the name was often called *Ḥimṣ al-Andalus*. This name refers to the city of Homs in modern Syria. The name reflects how the city was organized during that time.

Seville is approximately 2,200 years old. Its history involves many different civilizations. The Phoenicians and Tartessians lived there in the 8th century BC.

Caños de Carmona en calle Luis Montoto (2)
Caños de Carmona en calle Luis Montoto (2)

Later, the Romans turned *Hispalis* into a major market center. After the Roman era, the Vandals, Suebi, and Visigoths ruled the region. In the 9th century, Vikings even attacked the city.

Muelle y Torre del Oro Sevilla, RP-F-F01139-CY
Muelle y Torre del Oro Sevilla, RP-F-F01139-CY

The city saw many changes through these successive conquests.

During the Middle Ages, Seville saw significant Islamic rule. The Almoravids conquered the city in 1091. Later, the Almohads took control in 1147. The Almohads used Seville as a major capital. They even carried out large urban renewal projects. By the end of the 12th century, the walled city held about 80,000 people.

Patio de las doncellas-ret
Patio de las doncellas-ret

This period left a deep mark on the city's architecture.

In 1248, the city was incorporated into the Crown of Castile. This happened after a fifteen-month siege by Ferdinand III. Following this conquest, many new buildings were constructed. Many were built in the Gothic or Mudéjar styles. The Mudéjar style uses Islamic design elements in Christian buildings.

Salón de Embajadores, Real Alcázar de Sevilla
Salón de Embajadores, Real Alcázar de Sevilla

The Alcázar palace became a royal residence. Today, the Spanish royal family still uses the upper levels. The Seville Cathedral is another massive Gothic structure.

Giralda de Sevilla 5
Giralda de Sevilla 5

In the 16th century, Seville became a global trade hub. It served as the gateway for the Spanish Empire's trans-atlantic trade. The *Casa de Contratación* managed this massive commerce.

La sevilla del sigloXVI
La sevilla del sigloXVI

Ships had to sail up the Guadalquivir River to reach the port. This was difficult because ships were getting much larger. Eventually, drought conditions changed the river's flow. The trade moved to the Bay of Cádiz in the 1700s. The *Casa de Contratación* moved there in 1717.

Seville is famous for its landmarks and culture. The old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This site includes the Alcázar, the Cathedral, and the General Archive of the Indies.

Torre del Oro Guadalquivir Seville Spain
Torre del Oro Guadalquivir Seville Spain

The city's official motto is NO8DO. This is a rebus that means "She has not abandoned me."

People also enjoy major events like the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929.

Expo sevilla 1929 poster
Expo sevilla 1929 poster

More recently, the city hosted Expo '92.

Expo Sevilla002
Expo Sevilla002

These events show how the city stays connected to the world.

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🖼️ Images & Media (40)
File:Tesoro del Carambolo - Museo Arqueológico de Sevilla.jpg
Tesoro del Carambolo - Museo Arqueológico...
File:Caños de Carmona en calle Luis Montoto (2).jpg
Caños de Carmona en calle Luis Montoto (2).jpg
File:Patio_de_las_doncellas-ret.jpg
Patio_de_las_doncellas-ret.jpg
File:La sevilla del sigloXVI.jpg
La sevilla del sigloXVI.jpg
File:Gran peste de Sevilla.jpg
Gran peste de Sevilla.jpg
File:Domingo Martínez, Real máscara de la fábrica de tabacos.jpg
Domingo Martínez, Real máscara de la...
File:Muelle y Torre del Oro Sevilla, RP-F-F01139-CY.jpg
Muelle y Torre del Oro Sevilla, RP-F-F01139-CY.jpg
File:Expo sevilla 1929 poster.jpg
Expo sevilla 1929 poster.jpg
File:EL GRAL. VARELA EN UN DISCURSO EN UN BALCÓN. AUTOR- ANÓNIMO.jpg
EL GRAL. VARELA EN UN DISCURSO EN UN...
File:Expo Sevilla002.jpg
Expo Sevilla002.jpg
File:(Sevilla) Seville, Spain (49104522676) (cropped).jpg
(Sevilla) Seville, Spain (49104522676)...
File:MTN50-0984-2006-cns-Sevilla.jpg
MTN50-0984-2006-cns-Sevilla.jpg

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