The last full day in Seville was largely devoted to exploring the Real Alcazar, a palacio still in use as a residence by the royal family.

Quick history lesson: The Alcazar was originally a Moorish palace built in the 900s. With the Reconquering (late 1200s in Seville) it was converted and expanded by King Don Pedro in the early 1300s to a palace for the Christian rulers of Spain. It was built by Moorish artisans and so it features arches, ceramics, and and other distinctly Moorish characteristics. However, the structure itself is not a symmetric, expansive one as is characteristic of Moorish palaces. Rather, it consists of a crazy-quilt pattern of room after room connected by hallways, courtyards, and unexpected turns. The ceilings, floors, and walls are decorated with ceramic tiles produced in Triana (of the type that are still being produced today) and ornately carved wood. Doorways are arches covered with ceramic tiles or beautifully scalloped in a distinctly non-Moorish fashion. Tiles feature inscriptions in Arabic calligraphy, interesting for a structure built to celebrate the expulsion of Moors from the area.

Like my experience at La Mezquita in Córdoba, visiting Real Alcazar is overwhelming and somewhat disconcerting. Each room seems to want to outdo the previous one in ornateness. We opted to take a tour of the royal apartments (a closely guarded 30 minute walk-through of the royal family’s actual living quarters when they are there) and they put the lower floors to shame. Looking through an arch to a courtyard or another room creates multiple shapes that are mesmerizing.

Below is a somewhat loosely captioned picture dump of the day. Still processing…