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The oldest royal palace still in use in Europe, and one of Seville’s largest complexes: amongst the palaces, courtyards and gardens, it’s easy to lose sight of what really matters.
Seven venues in the order of the tour, and two details that almost nobody spots.
It is the heart of the Alcázar and the most ornate. He had it built Peter I in 1364, with teachers the people of Toledo and the Nasrids, and is regarded as the finest example of civil Mudéjar architecture.
The paradox that defines it: it has an Andalusian look, but he was appointed by a Christian court. Chiselled stonework, tiled walls and coffered ceilings, all in the style of Granada, created for a king of Castile.
Once inside, don’t miss out on on Dolls' Courtyard —the private area of the courtyard, with the tiny faces carved into an arch from which it takes its name—, the Prince's Room and the Carlos V’s Ceiling Hall.
The most photographed courtyard on the site: rectangular, with a central pool, poly-lobed arches resting on marble columns and tiled plinths.
What almost nobody knows: what we see today it is not the original level. There was a sunken garden with orange trees, and it was filled in with earth following the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. All that remains of that lower level are the María de Padilla toilets, which you’ll see further on.
The throne room, the most sumptuous part of the palace. The hall used to be here Al-Turayya —of the Pleiades— of the ancient Almohad fortress.
What you need to look at is the ceiling: the dome «soulmate», made of gilded wood, a work by Diego Ruiz from 1427, representing the celestial vault. And just below it, a Gothic arrocabe featuring the gallery of portraits of the Castilian monarchs.
A final detail: From here, you enter Philip II’s Ceiling Room via the Pavones Arch, so named because of the birds featured in its decoration.
A clarification, as there is a misconception circulating: the Hall of Ambassadors has no source. The swimming pool is in the courtyard, not in the living room.
It stands in deliberate contrast to the previous one: more severe and upright. He raised it Alfonso X the Wise in the 13th century on Almohad structures.
Its main room is the Tapestry Room, with the series that depicts the conquest of Tunisia by Charles V in 1535. The tapestries on display are 18th-century copies of the originals.
And the Lisbon earthquake also left its mark here: This necessitated the renovation of a large part of the palace, hence the Baroque features incorporated into the Gothic structure.
It was here that the decision to trade with the Americas was taken. The Catholic Monarchs established the Casa de Contratación in 1503 to oversee all shipping and trade with the Indies, and it was based here.
The altarpiece of the Virgin of the Navigators is a must-see, by Alejo Fernández, from the 16th century. It is one of the earliest depictions of the discovery of the Americas in European painting.
The room is also known as the Courtroom.
The most surprising spot – and the one most people miss. Access is via from the Jardín de la Danza, going down some stairs.
What they actually are: on lower level of an Almohad garden dating from the 12th–13th centuries, which was buried when the Patio del Crucero was filled in following the earthquake. A ten-bay nave with ribbed vaults reflected in the water.
And here’s a handy tip that’s worth its weight in gold in August: maintain a constant cool temperature. It’s the best place on the site to escape the Seville heat.
Points to look out for: 16th-century Renaissance murals in the side aisles and one 17th-century Mannerist fountain at the far end of the pool.
There’s a nuance here that’s often misrepresented. María de Padilla was Peter I’s mistress, not his wife: the king was married to Blanca of Bourbon —whom he repudiated three days later— and with Juana de Castro.
But there’s a twist to the story: when she died in 1361, Peter I declared before the nobles that she had been his only lawful wife, and the Cortes She was posthumously recognised as queen, thereby recognising the paternity of her children.
The two are buried together in the crypt of the Royal Chapel at Seville Cathedral.
They take up most of the site and they are the reason why the visit always takes longer than expected.
Please note: the Murillo Gardens They are not part of the Alcázar. They are an adjoining public park, and are often mistakenly referred to as such.
This is the detail that’s most worth looking out for, and it doesn’t appear in almost any guide.
In the gardens there is a 17th-century hydraulic organ, the only one remaining in Spain. It activates on the hour: a few jets of water activate the keys and the organ plays by itself.
It’s worth timing your stroll through the gardens to coincide with the hour. It is next to the Galería del Grutesco.
The gardens were the Water Gardens of Dorne, the Martell family home, in the fifth series.
And hardly any set pieces needed to be added: The arched walkways, the ponds and the vegetation already created the atmosphere the production was looking for. More locations in Game of Thrones in Seville.
It’s right next to the Cathedral and Santa Cruz, so it’s all done on the same morning.
We are a local tour operator based in Málaga with over 50 years’ experience organising trips around Andalusia. Seville is best explored in a day:
Check whether the ticket you book includes entry to the Alcázar, or else, get it yourself from the official website in advance.
The rest of the destination: what to see in Seville, Seville in a day, its places y their courtyards.
The Mudejar Palace, with the Courtyard of the Maidens and the Courtyard of the Dolls; the Hall of Ambassadors with its half-dome; the Gothic Palace and its Tapestry Room, the Casa de la Contratación with its altarpiece of the Virgin of the Navigators, the Baths of Doña María de Padilla and the gardens. In the gardens, it is well worth looking out for the hydraulic organ and the Galería del Grutesco.
It takes two hours if you take your time walking through the gardens, which make up most of the site. An hour and a half is enough to see the palaces and little else, so it’s best to allow plenty of time: this is the visit that tends to take longer than expected.
A 17th-century water-powered organ, the only one of its kind preserved in Spain, situated in the gardens next to the Galería del Grutesco. It is activated on the hour: jets of water strike the keys and the instrument plays of its own accord. It’s well worth timing your stroll through the gardens to coincide with the top of the hour.
The mistress of Peter I of Castile, not his wife: the king had been married to Blanca of Bourbon, whom he repudiated after three days, and to Juana de Castro. However, following María’s death in 1361, he declared before the nobles that she had been his only legitimate wife, and the Cortes recognised her as queen posthumously. Both are buried in the crypt of the Royal Chapel at Seville Cathedral.
Because they form the lower level of an Almohad garden that was subsequently buried. Following the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, the sunken garden of the Patio del Crucero was filled in with earth, and the only part of that level to survive were these baths, which lost the light that had previously shone down on them from above. They maintain a constant cool temperature, making them the best refuge on the site in summer.
The Water Gardens of Dorne, home of House Martell, in the fifth series of the show. The arcades, ponds and vegetation of the site were utilised with almost no additional set decoration, as the atmosphere of the Alcázar already matched that which the production team were seeking for this southern kingdom.
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