| General
Seville is the fourth largest city of Spain and is the capital of Andalucia. Tthe historic
centre -where our school is located- is compact and simple
to navigate. You can easily find your way around the centre
by foot.
History
The more you learn about Spain, the more you will realise that Spain’s regional diversity is immense in terms of culture, history and customs. The roots of Seville go back to before the Romans (who called the city Hispalis) and legend has it that the city was founded by the Greek hero Hercules.
The region of Andalusia came to prominence when the Moors landed in Southern Spain in the beginning of the 8th century and made this part for many years the heart of Arab culture. Cordoba, Granada and above all Seville became important cities where art and science thrived and Arab rulers built impressive monuments.
When the Moors were driven off the Iberian peninsula in 1492 by Christian forces, Seville continued to thrive as the seafaring port of Spain, trading the newly found riches in the Americas until the river Guadalquivir that connects Seville to the Atlantic Ocean started to silt up.
Seville offers a rare melting pot of customs and styles that seem to blend together without any effort. The strong Gypsy presence in Andalusia gave it the Flamenco dance and guitar without which Spain would not be the same. The Moors left behind monumental architecture and the use of bright colours and motifs that still dominate the region. The Catholic Church brought the world famous festivals of “Semana Santa” and re-invigorated Seville with spiritualism that you do not find easily in other places.
As an example, the Cathedral of Seville is partly the remodelled mosque that once stood there and Seville’s most famous landmark, “la Giralda”, is in fact the minaret of the ancient mosque. |
