The Giralda Tower

Emblematic of Sevilla since Medieval times, the view is magnificent from the top of the Giralda. And the best part? There aren’t any stairs to climb! We’ll be walking up thirty-five gently inclined ramps to reach the bells. Listen carefully and you might hear the faint clip clop of horse hooves as the tower was once used as a military vantage point and the ramps are wide enough to accommodate two riders abreast. Our walk up – and back into history – is well worth it for the view of the Cathedral from an entirely different perspective and to admire Sevilla from slightly over 104 meters or almost 342 feet in the air.

Named for the giraldillo or weather vane on its top, the Giralda was the minaret of the Almohad mosque. It was from here that Muslims were called to prayer in the 12th and 13th century. The Almohad ruler, Yousouf Yacoub al-Mansour, ordered the construction of the Giralda and he was a most resourceful man; the minaret, along with its religious and military purposes, was also designed as an observatory from which to study the planets and stars.

Work began under the direction of architect, Ahmad Ben Baso, in 1184. The mathematician and astronomer, Jabir ibn Aflah, is also credited with the tower's design. Prior to completion in 1198 four brightly polished copper spheres were added to the top of the tower. The sunlight reflected from them was so brilliant that the city’s presence and power was acknowledged from miles away. Today the Giralda is considered the finest of the three remaining Almohad minarets in the world; the others are in Marrakesh and Rabat, Morocco.

In 1248, under the King Alfonso X, the Christians re-conquered Sevilla (the Reconquista). There are two versions of the Giralda’s survival and both contain at least partial truths. The Muslims so greatly revered their minaret they threatened to tear it down brick by brick in the face of impending subjugation. Alfonso countered with the warning, “If they remove a single stone, they will all be put to the sword.” The other version is that, upon seeing the minaret for the first time, the king was in such awe of its beauty he demanded it have full protection prior to his entering the city. Whichever version is more accurate - the tower remained intact and was added to the cathedral in 1402.

What we know today as the Giralda is, in fact, a combination of the former minaret – the first two thirds of the tower or the segment below the bells - is the original Almohad minaret. Its simple beauty derives from the shadows formed by blocks of brick trellis work, different on each side, and a succession of arched niches and windows. The upper third, built in Spanish Renaissance style, was added when the Cathedral was rebuilt. The original copper spheres that topped the minaret were destroyed in an earthquake in 1356 and replaced in 1400 with the cross and bell of Christianity. Despite the Renaissance additions, the Giralda remains one of the most beautiful monuments of the Islamic world.

Between the years 1560 and 1568 four more levels, topped by an Italian bronze sculpture of "Faith" were added under the supervision of Cordovan architect, Hernán Ruiz. This newer section of the tower contains a large inscription of Seville's motto, “NO8DO” meaning "Sevilla has not abandoned me." Now you know what that strange notation you’ve seen throughout the city means.

The tower's interior rooms now display artifacts from the mosque and the earlier Christian church that predates the current Gothic cathedral. Among the items on view are a door from the 14th century and the tombstone of Petrus de la Cera, who helped conquer Seville in 1248. Gargoyles and intricate stone work adorn the interior walls of the tower.

Once one of the tallest religious structures in the world; today the Giralda remains a beacon of antiquity and culture in Andalucía.

Entrance to the tower is from inside the cathedral, to the left of the Capilla Real in the northeast corner. Hours are the same for the Cathedral and the Giralda Tower.
Days and Hours of Operation for Giralda Tower:
September 1st through June 30th: Mondays 11am through 3:30pm (15.30); Tuesdays through Saturdays 11am through 5pm (17.00); Sundays 2:30pm (14.30) through 6:30pm (18.30)
July 1st through August 31st: Mondays 9:30am through 2:30pm (14.30); Tuesdays through Saturdays 9:30am through 4:30pm (16.30); Sundays 2:30pm (14.30) through 6:30pm (18.30)
Last admission 30 min before closing

Admission to Giralda Tower: General admission €8; Reduced admission €4; Children and Disabled persons are free. Mondays – Free admission