Seville Cathedral: A Journey from Great Mosque to the World’s Largest Gothic Masterpiece

Are you ready for a journey that defies reason and time? As you gaze upon the Seville Cathedral, you’ll feel like you are standing before the monumental echo of a city that was once the great capital of Muslim Spain, Al-Andalus. After the Reconquista, it transformed into Spain’s gateway to the Americas, cementing its role as a global power.

From the street, its scale is astonishing, but it is upon crossing its doors that you understand the immense ambition of its 15th-century builders. They rose above the foundations of the Great Mosque of Isbiliya (Seville) and declared, “Let us build a church so great and so magnificent that there will be no other like it.” It was an audacity the popular tradition summarizes with the phrase, “Let us be taken for mad.” This temple, the World’s Largest Gothic Masterpiece and a UNESCO Heritage Site, is an open book that narrates the grand history of Muslim Seville, the Reconquista, and the era when the city controlled the flow of wealth from the New World.

But to truly enjoy it, you need to know its fascinating past. The Touring Pandas has concentrated the most vital information in this post so you can discover every secret, from the ramps of its Islamic minaret to the Tomb of Columbus, and of course, the best way to visit it with us.

The Origin: An Almohad Heart Beneath Gothic Skin

What stands so majestically today did not begin as a Christian temple, but as the center of Muslim Seville (Isbiliya).

The Legacy of the Great Mosque (12th Century)

In the 12th century, the Almohad Caliph Abu Yaqub Yusuf ordered the construction of the Great Mosque (Aljama), completed in 1198. The key to the current cathedral lies in this Islamic structure:

• The Floor Plan: The mosque was a perfect rectangle, and this layout determined the plan of the future Gothic cathedral, breaking with the traditional Latin cross. This is why the Seville Cathedral has five naves and is the largest in the world by surface area.
• Patio de los Naranjos (Courtyard of the Orange Trees): This oasis of peace is the mosque’s former Ablution Courtyard (Sahn), preserving its fountains and the citrus planting. Close your eyes for a moment: you are walking on the very ground where the faithful purified themselves with its fountains and irrigation channels before entering for prayer, under the aromatic shade of the citrus trees.
• The Giralda: The symbol of Seville is the mosque’s ancient Minaret (Alminar), the only element that remained completely intact. This bell tower was used for the call to prayer both when it was a Muslim mosque and after it was converted into a Catholic church.

When Ferdinand III conquered the city in 1248, the mosque was consecrated as a cathedral, where it was used by Christians for 150 years until its architectural collapse.

Gothic Gigantism and Its Secrets

Following the deterioration of the Almohad building, the Chapter House made the bold decision in 1401 to construct a temple “without equal.” Construction on the new temple, which began in 1433, spanned over a century.

The Temple of Records

The Seville Cathedral is, by its own right, the largest Gothic cathedral in the world in terms of surface area, covering 11,520 square meters. Its dimensions are colossal (126 meters long and 42 meters high at the transept), integrating the Late or Flamboyant Gothic style with the peculiar rectangular plan of five naves, inherited from the mosque.

Over the centuries, the work added other essential styles: the Renaissance (visible in the Chapter House) and the Baroque (in the Sagrario Church), creating a unique fusion.

Must-See Treasures Inside

The interior is a universe of art, history, and power.

The High Altarpiece: The Golden Giant   Dominating the central nave is the High Altarpiece (Retablo Mayor), the largest in Christendom. This Gothic masterpiece, which took almost a century to complete (1482-1564), is a structure nearly 30 meters high with 45 scenes carved in wood and covered in gold. Its detail and magnitude are unparalleled in the world.

The Tomb of Christopher Columbus: Here Lie the Remains of the Discoverer of America

In the transept is the impressive mausoleum attributed to Christopher Columbus, supported by four heralds representing the kingdoms of Spain (Castile, León, Aragon, and Navarre). The monument is a powerful reminder of Seville’s role as the Port and Gateway to the Indies.

Renaissance Jewels: Royal Chapel and Chapter House

The Cathedral, despite its Gothic soul, holds two dazzling Renaissance treasures that you cannot overlook:

• Royal Chapel (Capilla Real)

This later addition is a sublime example of the Renaissance style. Here you will not only admire the venerable image of the Virgen de los Reyes, the Patron Saint of the city, but you will find yourself before the final resting place of royalty: it houses the remains of King Ferdinand III of Castile (the Conqueror of Seville) and other members of the royal family. It is a point of deep devotion and history.

Chapter House (Sala Capitular) Prepare to enter a space that is an architectural and artistic marvel. Designed with an unusual oval plan, it is famous for its perfect acoustics and formal elegance. Presiding over the room, framed by exquisite reliefs, is Murillo’s “Inmaculada,” one of the masterworks of the Sevillian painter, which adds a layer of unparalleled pictorial beauty to this space of deliberation.

Pinacotheca of Masters: From Murillo to Goya

The metropolitan temple is, in itself, one of the most important art galleries in Spain. Beyond Murillo, you can find:

• The Main Sacristy Hall (Sala de la Sacristía Mayor): A Renaissance treasure that exhibits the processional Monstrance by Juan de Arfe, a masterpiece of goldsmithing, along with other valuable pieces and liturgical vestments.
• Works by Goya: The Cathedral holds two important canvases by Francisco de Goya in the Chapel of San Francisco, depicting the patron saints of Seville. This shows the wealth and artistic reach the Cathedral was able to attract throughout the centuries.
• Side Chapels: Tour the numerous minor chapels that house altarpieces, sculptures, and paintings by masters of the Sevillian school such as Alonso Cano and Luis de Vargas.

The Giralda: The Soul of Seville

At 104.5 meters high, the Giralda is the perfect synthesis of Sevillian history. From Almohad Minaret to Christian Bell Tower   Islamic Base: The lower part is the ancient minaret of the mosque, built in exposed brick and decorated with the sebka or diamond network.   Renaissance Topping: After an earthquake, the tower was topped in the 16th century with the bell chamber and the Giraldillo, the bronze sculpture that functions as a weather vane, symbolizing Triumphant Faith and giving the entire tower its name (Giralda comes from the Spanish verb girar, meaning “to turn”). A replica can be seen at ground level at the Puerta del Príncipe.

Charming Curiosities

The Wonder of the Ramps in the Giralda

Did you know that the ascent to the Giralda is unique: there are no stairs, but 35 gentle, wide ramps. This allowed the Caliph, and later the Chapter House, to ascend on horseback or with the help of mules to enjoy the views. For the modern visitor, these ramps make the climb much more comfortable, offering the reward of a 360-degree panoramic view over all of Seville.

We have to thank the laziness of these historical figures for making the visit more manageable today!

The Lizard in the Courtyard

Near the Puerta del Lagarto (Lizard’s Gate) hangs a wooden crocodile, a replica of a gift sent to King Alfonso X. An anecdote that blends humor, history, and medieval romance.

The legend takes us back to the year 1260, when a delegation from the Sultan of Egypt arrived in Seville to ask for the hand of King Alfonso X’s eldest daughter, Infanta Doña Berenguela. To achieve his purpose, the Sultan sent the gifts every woman longed for at the time, which, as everyone knows, are a live crocodile, an elephant tusk, and a docile giraffe that allowed itself to be ridden like a horse.

The Living Vaults: The Cathedral That Breathes

Due to its immensity, its immense vaults are designed with Gothic engineering that allows them to slightly expand and contract according to changes in temperature and humidity.

That is why it is said that the Seville Cathedral is alive.

The Secret of the Protective Columns: A Refuge of Justice

The Right of Asylum: Pay attention to the exterior of the Cathedral, near the Giralda. You will see small columns joined by chains marking the perimeter. These are not a simple decorative element, but a vestige of the Middle Ages and ecclesiastical power. They formerly delimited the atrium of the Cathedral, a space that enjoyed the right of asylum.

If any person persecuted by civil justice (thief, debtor, etc.) managed to reach the area demarcated by these chains and columns, they immediately fell under the protection of the Church, and civil authorities could not apprehend them. It is a palpable reminder of an era where the Church offered a last resort of sanctuary and legal shelter.

How to Visit? Times, Tickets, and Your Best Guided Option

To fully immerse yourself in this historical giant and avoid wasting time, organization is key.

Times and Tickets (We Recommend Online Purchase)

Secure your access and save time by buying tickets online in advance through the official website.

The estimated time needed to visit the Cathedral and the Giralda is 75 minutes.

If you buy your ticket online, you can enter through the Puerta del Lagarto; otherwise, you must buy it at the ticket office and enter through the Puerta del Príncipe.

The Definitive Experience: Guided Tour Options with The Touring Pandas

The best way to unravel the secrets of this monument is with a local expert. If you are looking for an in-depth, fast, skip-the-line experience in your language, we recommend our tours:

Real Alcázar, Cathedral, and Giralda: Seville Guided Tour

Seville Highlights: Full-Day Tour

Do You Dare to Discover Spain’s Past?

Don’t miss the opportunity to see this unique temple in the world and the largest Gothic-style Catholic church ever built. It stands as proof of the heritage of Muslim Spain, the Catholic Reconquista, and as a witness and accomplice to the greatness of what was once the Spanish Empire, one of the largest in the world, which practically conquered an entire continent.

Let an expert guide you to discover all the secrets of Seville in your language (English, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese).