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The city of Seville brings visitors to the very heart of Andalusian culture of bullfighting, flamenco music, and fiestas.
This city in the South of Spain shares a Roman and a Muslim past, with the Romans calling the city “Hispalis” and the Muslims naming it “Ishbiliya”, before it was taken by Fernando III in 1248.
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There is plenty to see in this city that will surely delight tourists.
The influence of the Moorish culture adds flavor to the charm of the place.
It is only here where you can find a Gothic cathedral (one of the biggest in the world) adjoined by a tower, La Giralda, that used to be a mosque's minaret.
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Other site attractions are the Torre de Oro, the Plaza de España, and the Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza de Caballeria. The Torre de Oro, or the Gold Tower , was originally built by the Moors close the access to the harbor of the Guadalquivir River . It has twelve sides and a chain is stretched underwater from its base to the opposite side of the river to prevent enemies from traveling to the port of Seville . This tower also served as a prison during the middle ages and is now a naval museum outlining the naval history of the city.
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The Plaza de España is the embodiment of the Moorish Revival in Spanish Architecture.
It was designed by Anibal Gonzales in 1929 for the city's Ibero-American Exposition.
The plaza is composed of buildings forming a huge half circle that is accessible through numerous bridges.
Situated in its center is a large fountain.
The best way to view the plaza is by renting out a rowing boat and making your way through the moat.
Many tiled alcoves that represent the different provinces of Spain could be seen by the walls of the plaza.
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Seville 's bullring, the Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza de Caballeria or the Bullring of the Royal Equestrian Society of Noblemen, is the oldest bullring in Spain and is the home of the city's Feria de Abril, one of the renowned bullfighting festivals in the world.
It is considered as one of the world's most important bullrings and bullfighting critics claim that a matador or a bullfighter must prove himself first inside the walls of this bullring before he can be considered a real triumphant. Great bullfighters like Curro Romero, Espartaco, Belmonte and Manolete delight crowds that attend the Feria de Abril and special events on Easter Sunday with their presence.
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