Seville Cathedral

Seville Cathedral is a Gothic cathedral built on the site of a former Almohad mosque and is one of the largest medieval cathedrals in the world. Construction of the present Gothic structure began in the early 15th century, replacing the mosque’s main prayer hall while the mosque’s minaret became the cathedral bell tower.

Key parts include the vast Gothic nave, numerous chapels and the Giralda tower, a 12th-century Almohad minaret adapted as a bell tower rising to about 104 metres. The cathedral contains funerary monuments and treasures and is an active cathedral as well as a major heritage site.

Built by the city’s Christian rulers after the Reconquista, the cathedral project aimed to demonstrate Seville’s wealth and power; construction and embellishment continued across the 15th and 16th centuries with later Baroque additions. The site retains Islamic, Gothic and Renaissance elements reflecting its layered history.

The cathedral stands in Seville’s historic centre next to the Alcázar and Archivo de Indias, near the Guadalquivir River and the city’s principal tourist routes.

• Scale: The cathedral is noted as the largest Gothic cathedral in the world and is frequently described as one of the largest churches globally, reflecting its vast interior volume and footprint.
• Giralda access: The Giralda's ramps were designed to allow horse-mounted access to the top; climbing provides broad views over Seville.

What to See #

• Giralda: The Giralda, a former Almohad minaret converted into the cathedral's bell tower, rising to about 104 metres and accessible by a ramped interior.
• Nave and choir: The main Gothic nave and choir area, forming part of the vast interior space used for liturgy and large public ceremonies.
• Chapels and tombs: A royal chapel and several chapels containing tombs and funerary monuments, including the monument traditionally associated with Christopher Columbus.