Seville

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Travel guide to Seville

One of the oldest cities in Spain, where signs and traces from different epochs have been preserved is Sevilla.It is the capital of the southern region of Andalusia.


The first historical data we have from the region is the settlement occupied by the tribe of Tartessos in 9th Century BC. Later the Carthginians demolished the city in their raid; when the Romans took over, they named the city Hispalis - it was under the ruler Scipio Africanus in 206 BC when the real development and growth began.

After long and undesterbed rule of the Romans, the Moors from northern Arfica seized the city in 711. They transformed the city in many ways, which can be seen nowadays mainly in architecture. The renowned Emir Abd Rahman II developed a strong fleet around the middle of ninth century.Ferdinand III of Castile re-conquered Sevilla in 1248.

Historically, the port of the city has a big importance - from there Ferdinand Magellan took his 5 ships for the circumnavigation of the earth; much of the treasures, mainly silver, which Spanish colonizers took came in through the port of Sevilla. During the Spanish Civil war in the middle of 19th century, the city was stronghold of the Nationalists.

In 1992 Seville welcomed the World Expo 1992, and in 2002 - the world Summit (which was paralleled by protest-summit from neo-liberalists and also anti-globalists

In Sevilla two of the oldest and most competitive uneverisities - University of Sevilla and Pablo de Olavide University attract thousands of students each year.

Sevilla is known for two other things - the extreme hot weather during the summer and the wonderful flamboyant flamenco dances.

The motto of Seville is "NO8DO". The "8" is shaped like a wool hank, in Spanish madeja. This makes the motto, as a rebus read "NO madeja DO" which is a pun on "no me ha dejado" = "it did not abandon me". This refers to the city's support for king Alphonse X in the war with his son Don Sancho in the 13th Century. This motto is seen throughout Sevilla, inscribed on manhole covers

Sevilla is where the most famous character in European literature - Don Quixote started his journey, many other famous novels and operas (for example Carmen) are set in this beautiful city.

The football team of Sevilla is also known and loved by many people.

Because of the dry and hot climate, wonderful oranges grow in the precincts of the city, and they are famous for the jam Sevillans make from them.

One of main squares in Seville
One of main squares in Seville, by Thorsten Steinhaus  
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