Real Alcázar de Sevilla

Standing as one of the oldest European palaces still in use, The Alcázar is one of the most significant and compelling monuments in city of Sevilla. As well as having a strong historical relevance, it’s also one of the finest examples of the architectural beauty existing within the city, combining styles of Gothic, Baroque, Muslim, Renaissance, and Romantic art. Officially named a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO in 1987, the palace is deeply enriched with the history, culture and artistic diversity of Sevilla.

History

The Alcázar has experienced a great deal of renovations in the eleven centuries of its existence; initially built as a fort for the Cordoban governors as far back at the 10th Century, it wasn’t until the 11th Century that it got its first major rebuild, extended in size by the city’s Abbadid rulers. The palace known as ‘Al-Muwarak’ (The Blessed) was established, and this was again left untouched until the Almohad rulers further extended in the 12th Century.

When the Christian King Fernando III captured the city in the 1248 reconquista, he moved into the palace and took it up as his permanent residence, as did several later monarchs. Alfonso X replaced much of the Almohad palace with a Gothic one, bringing to light the rich combination of architecture that forms the Alcázar today.

Between the years of 1364 and 1366, Pedro I created his namesake palace, renowned as one of the most spectacular areas of the whole complex. Elements of the Renaissance were introduced to the palace during the reign of the Catholic Monarchs in Sevilla, contributing to the unique appearance of the Alcázar, highly expressive of the long and dynamic history of the city.

Palacio del Rey Don Pedro

The Palacio de Pedro I is what many consider to be Sevilla’s single most beautiful landmark. Commissioned in 1364 by King Pedro I, the monarch used his long-standing alliance with the Muslim emir of Granada, Mohammed V, to assist with the construction and design. Mohammed sent many of Granada’s top artisans who were joined by those in Sevilla and Toledo to collaborate on this stunning complex. What this resulted in was a spectacular combination of Iberian-Islamic art.

Hall of Ambassadors

Originally Pedro I’s throne room, the Salón de Embajadores (Hall of Ambassadors) features a magnificent hemispherical dome of gilded wood and intricate tiling, intended to reflect numerous star patterns while symbolising the universe.

Although partially rebuilt by Diego Ruiz in 1427, the doors, plasterwork, and tiling of the walls are all from the original 1366 build. As perhaps the most grand and luxurious room of the entire complex, The Hall is viewed as the centrepiece of the Alcázar.

Alcázar Gardens

The numerous gardens stand as fundamental and flourishing elements of the Alcázar. At the height of the palace is The Pond of Mercury, a garden formed around a large fountain, featuring a bronze Renaissance statue of the Greek god Mercury.

A few steps down from this you will find the lavish Garden of Dance. Created in the 1570s, this stunning garden includes a passage that leads to the Baths of María Padilla, a vast and unmissable underground area of vaulted passages traditionally used to cool-off.

The Garden of Troy and Garden of the Gallery are connected to one another by a semicircular arch, and beside these is the Garden of Flowers, each reflecting a unique design and style.

The Garden of the Prince is a grand and luxurious space divided by four hedges, framed around the large fountain in its centre. The Garden of the Ladies is another idyllic spot, created in 1526 on the occasion of the wedding between Carlos I and Isabel of Portugal.

Television & Film

The Alcázar has long been an ideal shooting location for many television series and films. As a fortified palace with a stream of beautiful gardens and grand rooms, the Alcázar demonstrates many stages through history, capable of producing highly cinematic scenes.

The 1962 Lawrence of Arabia shot several scenes in and around the Alcázar, as did Ridley Scott’s 2005 Kingdom of Heaven. Other notable titles include Where Are You Going, Alfonso XIII?, The Wind and the Lion, and The White Princess.

Perhaps most famously, the Alcázar has been featured heavily on the Golden Globe award-winning Game of Thrones. The fictional region of Dorne borrows from the Alcázar’s gardens, royal rooms and pathways to shoot many iconic moments from the show.

The historic design of the buildings coupled with the opulent appearance of the gardens perfectly embody the characteristics of Dorne, with producer DB Weiss stating, “Once we realised we were allowed to shoot in the gardens, we realised that there’s nowhere on earth that looks more like the water gardens as we pictured than this place”.

Watch the Dorne & The Water Gardens Featurette here