Seville Cathedral Church

Address: Av. de la Constitución, s/n, 41004 Sevilla, Spain

Website: https://www.catedraldesevilla.es

Hours: Visiting hours vary; check website for current times (services may restrict access)

Admission: Main adult admission charged (approx €11; includes cathedral and Giralda in most ticket options; reduced rates available)

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.

• Seville Cathedral is in the heart of Seville’s historic centre. The nearest rapid transit point is Puerta de Jerez (Seville Metro Line 1 and the MetroCentro tram), from which the cathedral is about a 5-10 minute walk. The cathedral is also within short walking distance of major bus routes and the Plaza Nueva / Archivo de Indias area.

• By car or taxi: from Seville Santa Justa railway station it is typically a 10-15 minute taxi ride (or ~25-35 minute walk) into the cathedral area; central streets around the cathedral are pedestrianised.

• Buy a timed-entry or guided-ticket and aim for opening to avoid the long midday queues; early morning also gives cooler conditions for climbing the Giralda tower and better light for photography.
• Head straight to the Giralda for the rooftop views before exploring the nave-many visitors linger in the cathedral interior and miss the panoramic vistas across Seville from the tower ramps.
• Check mass and special service times before your visit (the cathedral is an active place of worship); arriving outside those service times avoids unexpected closures of parts of the building.