Castillo San Jorge: seat of the Inquisition and exhibition space
by Fiona Flores Watson
This riverside castle, located next to Triana bridge, once housed the headquarters of the Spanish Inquisition. The impressive remains, located underneath Triana market, are now used as a stunning exhibition space.
The remains of Castillo San Jorge served from 2011 to the early 2020s as "The Museum of Tolerance", which offered a fascinating look at one of the most notorious chapters in Spanish history: the Catholic Church's "Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition" - the castle was its seat for around 300 years .
Where is it?
The entrance to the castle is to the right of Triana market, accessed by some steps leading down from the street. As you cross Triana bridge from the city centre, look out for the brick tower and colourful tiled dome on the right-hand side, with the tiny chapel (Capilla del Carmen) inside: the steps are just past this. The actual museum/exhibition space itself is underneath the market, overlooking the river Guadalquivir.
This castle in Triana, the area of Seville best known for its ceramic tiles, flamenco and sailors, was where thousands of poor souls were imprisoned and interrogated over centuries – the castle served as seat of the “Tribuno del Santo Oficio o de la Santa Inquisición”, which was set up to “defend the Catholic faith” (in other words, divest Spain of Jews, Muslims, Protestants and other such undesirables) from 1481 to 1626, and then from 1639 to 1783, at which point it was moved due to the river consistently flooding the building..
Some basic information panels about the history of Castillo San Jorge, the seat of the Inquisition, still remain, as well as a panel entitled "A Place for Reflection", mentioning victims of the abuse of power, and a plan showing what each area was used for - stables, kitchen, chapel etc. Look out for the model of the castle, a citadel in itself, and also the arch leading to the river, now a window, with the same perfectly framed view that those unfortunates brought here to be questioned would have seen as they arrived at the castle - and possibly their last sight of Seville before perishing.
Where are the exhibitions shown?
The exhibitions are set in the main area of the museum - first you pass through the entrance part, where you can read information panels, and several screens show films (with English subtitles), introducing this area, Triana, as well as the current exhibition. (The first one was Maestros del Futuro in 2023, organised in collaboration with Homo Faber/the Michelangelo Foundation.)
Then you pass the window looking onto the river, some display cabinets with pieces of pottery, and the Inquisition information mentioned above, and continue on to the entrance to the exhibition space.
The historic setting lends itself perfectly to exhibitions of artisan items, which are stunningly displayed with the ancient brick walls as a backdrop. The large open space is lined with walkways, with items along either side. Each piece is set on an illuminated square glass panel, either on a plinth, framed on the wall, or on a shelf suspended by thin wires from the ceiling. The suspended works seem to be luminescent and other-worldly, floating over the ancient brick remains of this building with such a dark history. The contrast between age-old crafts, contemporary technology, and the medieval castle, is striking.
As of May to August 2025, the current exhibition is about Arte Sacro - Del esbozo a la gloria. El viaje del Arte Sacro (From sketch to glory: the journey of Sacred Art), the long-established artisan skills related to Holy Week and its processions. You can see samples of silversmithing, wood statue carving, embroidery and lace-making. Seville is considered the global epicentre of these ancient techniques, with many workshops producing pieces all year round.
** This museum space houses temporary exhibitions. For the latest news, check at one of the Seville tourist information offices. **
Location
Plaza del Altozano, s/n
