Sarah Nelson is a student at the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater and an ISA Featured Photo Blogger. She is currently studying abroad with ISA in Sevilla, Spain.
Located in central Sevilla, the Real Alcázar is a beautiful royal palace. It is the oldest royal palace still in use in Europe, with the upper-levels still being used for the royal family as their official Sevilla residence. Upon entering, you can already see the Moorish influences on the architecture and designs of the building.
If you look closely at the tiles, you can see that there are no humans or animals depicted. Since the palace was originally developed by Moorish Muslim Kings, there are various colorful and geometric designs instead.
Outside the palace, there are numerous large and vibrant gardens to take a stroll through. The gardens host orchards with fruit trees and a wide variety of flowers. At the high-point of the castle, there is a large pond that is presided over by a statue of the god Mercury along with a backdrop titled “Gallery of the Grotesque.”
Located underneath the castle is a large rainwater tank called The “Baths of Lady María de Padilla.” At the back of the baths is a large stone shelf where people could store their soaps or towels.
All in all, the Real Alcázar is very important to Spain. Since the castle is very old, it had a large impact over time on the culture in Sevilla. Since it is still in use today, it continues to prove that it is the most beautiful palace in all of Spain.
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