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Next to Santa Cruz,
this is the most atmospheric area of Seville. Being on the other
side of the river Guadalquivir from the rest of the city,
it has its own distinct identity, likened by locals to a village
within the city. It too has narrow cobbled streets and winding alleys,
but is less picture-book pretty than Santa Cruz and therefore feels
more real; it's also less packed with tourists. Triana is named
after the Roman emperor Trajan, who was born in nearby Italica.
It's the home of Seville's famous tile workshops
and potteries - almost any tile you see in Seville's churches, hotels,
bars and private houses will have been made here in Triana. The
industry dates back to Roman times, using clay from La Cartuja,
to the north of Triana. Countless artists, bullfighters and flamenco
performers, both past and present, were born here - it was the old
gitano (gypsy) quarter till the 1950s and is considered the
spiritual heart of flamenco: you can experience some of the most
authentic performances in the city here. Look out for their old
houses, called corrales de vecinos, centred around a courtyard which
was used as a communal area for washing and cooking - and sometimes
singing and dancing too (Castilla 16 is a good example). The barrio
also has special religious significance due its popular ´Virgin',
an effigy of the Virgin Mary which is paraded on a flower-covered
paso (float) during Semana
Santa accompanied by a band and a procession of hooded penitents
to Semana Santa.
Calle Betis, which follows the river, has
indisputably fine views of the city, especially the Torre
del Oro (Golden Tower, see El Arenal),
the bullring and Giralda.
Its row of 18th-century townhouse facades, seen from the other side
of the river, is as impressive as any in Amsterdam or Dublin. Within
the barrio, many of the houses have stunning tiled exteriors and
wrought iron balconies filled with flowers - go to Calles Pelay
and Correa for the traditional Triana. In summer, much of
the city`s nightlife migrates to Calle Betis, where the bars are
thronged with party-goers long into the wee hours in the copa bars.
In deeply religious Seville there are many statues
of the Virgin Mary, but one of the two best loved (along with La
Macarena), especially in the barrio itself, is the Esperanza
de Triana. Locals will come in to visit her every day. You can
see her in the Capilla de los Marineros (Pureza 53) and during
Semana Santa when she heads out on her paso (float) to be adored
by her faithful followers. Her hermandad (brotherhood) is one of
the oldest and most powerful in Seville, dating from 1418. Triana
is the starting point for the huge annual romería of El
Rocío (pilgrimage, or massive booze-up, depending on
who you talk to) at the end of May/beginning of June.
The best way to get to Triana is across the Puente
Isabel II, known locally as the Puente de Triana. Look out
for the market on the right as you arrive in Triana - this is a
good place to buy jamon ibérico (ham) and other local specialities.
It's built on the site of the prison, Castilla San Jorge,
which was the residence of the Inquisition, during which many 'heretics',
non-Catholics, were burned at the stake. Before this brutal period,
Jews, Muslims and Christians had lived together in relative harmony
in Seville. Leaving the bridge, you'll arrive in Plaza del Altozano,
with its glass-fronted balconies called miradores (windows for watching);
this was a traditional meeting place for flamenco cantaores (singers)
in the 19th century. There's also a statue of Triana's most famous
bullfighting son, Juan Belmonte. Near this plaza are Calles
Callao, Antillano Campos and Alfareria, where
you'll find the ceramics workshops.
There are several churches worth visiting on and
around Calle Betis, which runs south along the river from the bridge.
The most famous of these is Nuestra Señora de la O.
It has a stunning statue of crucified Christ by Gijón known
as El Cachorro (the puppy); there's a tortoiseshell cross
hanging from it, a gift from some sailors rescued from a shipwreck.
Mudéjar-Gothic Santa Ana is the oldest church in Triana,
dating from 1276. It was built by Alfonso X in gratitude after he
recovered from an eye infection; look out for the retablo (carved
altarpiece), choir stalls and pila de los gitanos (gypsy font) which
is believed to pass on flamenco talent to children baptized there.
To the north of Triana is the area of Isla de
la Cartuja. This was the site of Expo 92; today many telecomms
and technology firms are based here, as well as a theme park, Isla
Magica, university departments and some excellent concert venues.
You'll also find the 15th-century Monasterio de Santa Maria de
Las Cuevas, known locally as the Monasterio de la Cartuja see
art galleries. Here Christopher
Columbus planned his voyages of discovery, and for this reason the
area was chosen to hold the international exhibition and festival
in 1992 which catapulted Seville onto the world map. You can see
a replica of Nao Victoria, Magellan's sailing ship.
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