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by Fiona Watson
Tucked in between Avenida de la Constitutión
and the river, this former port area has some impressive and historic
buildings, most importantly, the Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza
(bullring), one of the most famous in
the world and as featured in Carmen, whose bronze statue stands
opposite the building. Other notable points of interest are the
modern Teatro de la Maestranza; the Mudejar
Torre del Oro; and the 17th-century Hospital de la Caridad.
Arenal's character has changed considerably over the years. Its
history is closely linked with Seville's rich naval and military
past, as shiploads of adventurers and soldiers set off from the
port to make their fortune in the Americas in the 16th century.
It was a bustling, prosperous area in those days, with stores, shipyards
and all the vices associated with sailors in those times.
Arenal declined in the 17th century when the river silted up with
sand, the area's naval importance disappeared and it became seedy
and dangerous. It was regenerated when the river was cleared for
Expo 92 and is now a smart area with upmarket horseriding and leathergoods
shops, many bars and restaurants of
all types, and, of course, great views over to Triana. But its atmosphere
is dictated by the bullring; during the season, April to September,
it is packed with fight-goers predicting, arguing, analyzing and
discussing the day's corrida (bullfight) over a tapa
and a caña (small glass of beer). Calle Arfe
is a lovely street with bars and delicatessens, with a very local
feel to it; check out bar Arenal.
In terms of art, the Hospital de la Caridad
is one of the highlights of Seville. The baroque building was originally
designed as a final resting place for those sentenced to death or
drowned in the river. Thanks to the generosity of a rich Don Juan-like
patron who saw the error of his debauched ways, it became a charity
hospital for the sick and destitute of Seville today it's still
used as a residencia de ancianos (nursing home). Its chapel has
a famous series of paintings by Valdés Leal and Murillo about
the good of charitable virtues and the evil of worldly wealth and
pride; Murillo also painted the azulejos (ceramic tiles) on the
chapel's exterior. Valdés Leal's celebrated but very gory
Finis Gloriae Mundi shows a dead bishop and knight being fed upon
by worms, while Murillo's paintings depict the more positive side
of things: saints caring for the afflicated, Jesus feeding the multitude.
The hospital has two delightful patios with fountains, decorated
with 17th-century tiles representing the New and Old Testaments.
There are interesting prints of Sevilla in the late 16th century,
with Arenal in its original sandy state (arena means sand) in the
museum now housed in the Torre de Oro.
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