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| The Torre del Oro. |
The Torre del Oro (Golden Tower), which dominates the banks of the river Guadalquivir, is a remnant of the Moorish fortified walls which originally enclosed the city. A watchtower designed to protect the docks, it dates from 1220; the 12-sided lower part was built in stone by the Almohades and was originally decorated with golden tiles, while the upper brick mini-tower was added in the 18th century.
Inside is a naval museum with flags, maps, scale models of ships and other maritime memorabilia, as well as portraits of illustrious naval figures and documents related to overseas discoveries. Most interesting are the prints of Seville in the late 16th century, with Arenal in its original sandy state (arena means sand), Triana with its castle and the docks bustling with ships. During the invasion of the Americas, it was used to house gold plundered from the natives.
View the Torre del Oro in a larger map
Min: 19C