The Seville Cathedral is the largest Gothic cathedral and the third largest church in the world, serving as the burial place of Christopher Columbus.
Built on the site of the great Almohad Mosque, Seville Cathedral was intended to showcase the city's power and wealth. During the design, one of the architects said: "We will have such a church that those who see it will consider us insane."
The money was collected by the entire city, the canons of Seville gave up all income in order to finance the construction of the cathedral. Unlike many other similar long-term constructions (for example, the Cologne Cathedral was built for 6 centuries), the Cathedral was completed a hundred years later (1402-1506), which was a real achievement, given its size and stunning Gothic style.
After its completion in the 16th century, the structure supplanted the Sophia Cathedral in Constantinople, which at that time was the largest in the world. Along with the Seville Alcazar, Seville Cathedral was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987.
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Seville Cathedral was built according to the same plan as the mosque that stood here, but Christian architects have added many architectural innovations. the result is a surprisingly large building that has broken several records for its size. In terms of area, Seville Cathedral is the third largest in Europe, after St. Paul's Cathedral in London and St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome, but it surpasses both cathedrals in volume.
The total area covers 11,520 square meters. The central nave rises 42 meters, and even the chapels seem large enough to be similar in size to a separate church.
The main entrance to the cathedral is located on the south side, there is also the tomb of Christopher Columbus. The remains of Columbus were repeatedly moved, because some suggest that due to the mistake of the carriers, the remains of Christopher, but of his son Diego, are in the Seville Cathedral.
Also notable is the famous Giralda, a 114-meter-high bell tower with bright patterns and ornaments, and 22 harmoniously tuned bells. The Royal Chapel is located in the northeastern part, but it is rarely open to tourists. There, in a gorgeous silver tomb, Fernando III (El Santo) is buried. The graves on both sides belong to Fernando's wife, Beatrice, and his son, Alfonso the Wise. It is also worth climbing to the top of the beautiful Moorish minaret of La Giralda, which is the bell tower of the cathedral. And then you will have such a magnificent view of the whole of Seville.