Seville Cathedral

Catedral de Sevilla, cathedral in Sevilla, Spain, that, in addition to being the world’s third-largest church, is an excellent example of Gothic and Renaissance architecture and represents some seven centuries of history.

Originally it was the site of a large mosque that was built in the 12th century when the Almohad empire ruled not only Sevilla but most of Spain. However, after Spanish Christians under Ferdinand III gained possession of Sevilla in 1248, the mosque was used as a cathedral, and its interior was gradually changed to suit its new role. As Sevilla grew in importance, the Spanish decided that they wanted to build a church on a suitably grand scale to reflect the city’s position as an affluent trading centre.

The Seville cathedral is the largest gothic church ever constructed. The gothic structure was built in the 15th century to replace the adapted former-mosque which had long served the Christian conquerors of Spain. The Giralda, a 105-meter tall bell tower, is a remnant of the 12th-century mosque. The cathedral is full of ornate stonework and contains a stunning 80 chapels for worship.