The Architecture of Seville
Sevilla is a breathtaking and inspiring city. For more than 350 years Moors, Jewish and Christians lived harmoniously in Spain. The Muslim Moors controlled the Iberian peninsula starting from year 711. The fights started around year 1050 and the Moors were expelled from what today we know as Spain around year 1248. This very rich period of intense cultural and religious exchange, of mingling and inclusion, brought some of the most interesting architecture to Spain in particular to the Andalucian region. Sevilla is decidedly Moorish: there are lots of decorative tiles in an amazing variety of colors, under every balcony, in the entrance of every house, or covering their façade; internal courtyards, high walls that avoid the heat, checkerboard floors and mazes of magical narrow streets. The most impressive feature is how many of the buildings include symbols of the three major religious groups: crosses (in observance of Christians), stars (symbolizing Judaism) and plenty of horseshoe arches that represent the Islamic culture. Stunning and evocative of a time of tolerance that we all long for these days, Sevilla’s gorgeous colors and happy state of mind is a dream for a designer who, like me, loves the mix of old and new and the presence of multicultural elements.
