The New Student's Reference Work/Seville

Seville (sā̇-vēl′yȧ), one of the most famous Spanish cities, is on the Guadalquivir, 62 miles northeast of Cadiz. Up to a short time ago Seville had the appearance of a picturesque Moorish town — narrow shaded streets, houses built around handsome courts and gardens and fountain-studded squares. But now room has been made for wide, straight streets and modern houses and shops. The great ornament of the city is its Gothic cathedral, the second largest in the world, containing paintings by Murillo and others, a great organ, the tombs of Ferdinand III of Castile and Ferdinand the son of Columbus and fine bronze, sculptured and wood-carving work. Close beside stands the beautiful tower called Giralda, 275 feet high. Another of the glories of Seville is the Alcazar or Moorish royal palace, whose halls and gardens are surpassed only by those of the Alhambra. The museum and charity hospital contain masterpieces by Murillo. The bull-ring can accommodate 18,000 spectators. The leading manufactures are cigars, iron, machinery and pottery. Seville also is a large port of entry. The largest imports are chemicals and timber; the chief exports, lead, quicksilver, wine, copper, oranges, olives, olive-oil and corks. This city was the Roman Hispalis, a place of trade in those days. Under the name of Ishbilia from 712 to 1248 it was an important Moorish city. When Ferdinand III of Castile captured it (1248), about 300,000 Moors abandoned the place. Population 155,366. Seville or Sevilla also is a province. Area 5,428 square miles; population 587,186.