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Seville is an archetype of traditional Spain: bullfights, Carmen and ancient castles. Seville flourished under Moorish dominion, and many of its most characteristic buildings, including the Cathedral (one of the world’s largest) and the Alcazar palace, are built on foundations of Moorish structures, restructured after the 13th-century Catholic re-conquest. Seville grew wealthy as gateway of trade with the Americas, reaching its zenith of affluence and power in the 16th century, when much of the city’s historic center was built. Though filled with history, Seville doesn’t live in the past -- in the evening its streets pulse with markets, tapas bars and the rhythms of flamenco.
From the shining spires of the Giralda to the beauty of the great Cathedral to the rambling Alc zar gardens, Seville (a.k.a. Sevilla) is a stunning slice of Spanish culture. Chief among Seville's wonders is the Alc zar, where Seville rulers have wielded their power from the time of the Romans. The Alc zar used to be merely a palace, albeit a huge one enlarged to feed the sensual needs of ruler al-Mu'tadid, who needed space to house his harem of eight hundred women and to hold his grisly garden of flowers planted in the skulls of his enemies. Under the Almohads, the complex was turned into a citadel, stretching to the twelve-sided Torre del Oro on the bank of the Guadalquivir. Parts of the Almohad walls, like the Torre del Oro, still survive today, as does the brilliant minaret known as the Giralda, used to call faithful Moors to prayer. So venerated was the Giralda that the Moors tried to destroy it before the Christian conquest of the city, but failed, and the Giralda became the bell tower of the Christian Cathedral and even today dominates the Seville skyline. The Cathedral itself is noted for its magnificent 15th-century Gothic architecture and hand-carved wooden alterpiece. But Seville has other attractions without such grand history. Two great festivals set the population afire each year: the Semana Santa, during the week before Easter, and the April Fair, which lasts a week at the end of the month. The April Fair is particularly raucous, with flamenco dancers in colorful folk costumes lining the streets and daily bullfighting competitions. The fictional spirits of Carmen and Don Juan, who originated in Seville, are invoked for delirious fair-goers.