The huge Gothic Cathedral of Santa Maria - the third largest in Europe after St Peter's in Rome and St Paul's in London - was built in the early 15th century on the site of a former mosque. Its construction lasted more than a century. The greatest height of the vault is 56 metres. The Renaissance royal chapel with its ornate dome houses the tombs of Alfonso X and his mother.
The altar, trimmed with beautiful Plateresco lattices, is stunning in its opulence. The huge zaltar image, the work of a Flemish master, is covered in gold. Every year on the 8th of December, on the eve of the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament, children dressed as pageboys sing and dance minuet here, continuing the centuries-old tradition. In the right part of the cathedral is the tombstone of Christopher Columbus, which is supported by the figures of four kings representing Castile, Aragon, Navarre and Leon.
What remains of the old mosque is the Orange Court, where the faithful performed ablutions before praying, and the Gate of Absolution, which was once the entrance to the mosque. The minaret was rebuilt in 1568 into a five-tiered column, the famous Giralda Tower. Now the tower, at a height of almost 90 metres, has a viewing platform, from where you can enjoy a magnificent view of Seville and the Guadalquivir. The tower is accessed by a gentle ramp with no steps.
