Gothic and Mudejar Architecture in Seville, Huelva and Cadiz

• Alfonsi — the first Gothic-Mudejar mix under Alfonso X. Santa Ana in Triana is the example in Seville.
• Gothic — pointed arches, ribbed vaults, carved stone. In Seville it arrives with the conquest and fills the cathedral nave.
• Mudejar — the same dates, different craft: brick, wooden ceilings, patterned plaster, often a square tower. Not a later period.
• Aljarafe — the low hills west of Seville, toward Huelva.
• Manueline — late Portuguese Gothic. The west front of San Martin in Aracena shows that influence.

Start with two paid buildings. The cathedral is a Gothic church on the floor of the old mosque. The Giralda is the Almohad minaret with a Renaissance belfry; that tower is an older period with a later top. The Alcazar holds a thirteenth-century Gothic palace of Alfonso X and the fourteenth-century palace of Pedro I, which is Mudejar. Book both.

• Seville Cathedral — map
• Alcazar — map

Santa Ana in Triana is the early parish: thirteenth century, still close to the Cordoba type. San Gil in the Macarena quarter is a later version of the same idea. From the fourteenth century the city is full of the standard Seville parish: Santa Marina, San Julian, San Vicente, San Lorenzo, San Esteban, San Roman, San Andres, San Pedro, San Marcos, San Juan de la Palma, Santa Catalina. You do not need all of them. Walk three or four fronts and one interior if a door is open.

• Santa Ana, Triana — map
• San Gil — map
• Santa Marina — map
• San Julian — map
• San Vicente — map
• San Lorenzo — map
• San Esteban — map
• San Roman — map
• San Andres — map
• San Pedro — map
• San Marcos — map
• San Juan de la Palma — map
• Santa Catalina — map

Late Gothic continues at San Martin, Santa Ines and the monastery of Santa Maria de las Cuevas on La Cartuja. Two early towers stand apart from the parish set: Don Fadrique and La Plata. Casa de Pilatos and Las Duenas are palaces where Mudejar work sits under later Renaissance floors. They need their own tickets.

• Santa Maria de las Cuevas, La Cartuja — map
• San Martin — map
• Convent of Santa Ines — map
• Tower of Don Fadrique — map
• Tower of La Plata — map
• Las Duenas — map
• Casa de Pilatos — map

East of the city the plain towns keep castles and large parishes. Alcala de Guadaira has the castle, Marchenilla and the church of Santiago. Carmona has the Alcazar of King Pedro and a cluster of churches around the old square — Santiago, San Felipe, San Bartolome, Santa Maria. Marchena, Ecija and Estepa continue the same mix. Antequera, already in Malaga province, is the last stop if you are driving that road: San Francisco, La Encarnacion, the colegiata of Santa Maria la Mayor and the tower of San Sebastian.

• Alcala de Guadaira — map
• Carmona — map
• Marchena — map
• Ecija — map
• Estepa — map
• Antequera — map

North of Seville the Guadalquivir towns are quieter. La Algaba has the Mudejar tower of Los Guzmanes. Alcala del Rio, Villanueva del Rio and Lora del Rio keep parish churches of the same family. In the hills: Constantina, Alanis, Guadalcanal and El Pedroso. Pick one hill town, not four.

• La Algaba — map
• Alcala del Rio — map
• Villanueva del Rio — map
• Lora del Rio — map
• Constantina — map
• Alanis — map
• Guadalcanal — map
• El Pedroso — map

Across the provincial line into Huelva the hills hold Zufre (Santa Maria), Aracena (El Castillejo and San Martin, with a Portuguese-looking west front) and Almonaster la Real (La Asuncion, and the hermitage of San Mames). Aroche is the western stop. El Garrobo is on the road up.

• El Garrobo — map
• Zufre — map
• Aracena — map
• Almonaster la Real — map
• Aroche — map

West of Seville the Aljarafe parishes are small: Espartinas (El Loreto), Sanlucar la Mayor (San Pedro, San Eustaquio, Santa Maria), Huevar and Aznalcazar. Into Condado and the old county of Niebla the mix thickens. Niebla’s Santa Maria de la Granada is mosque, Mudejar and Gothic in one building. Palos has San Jorge and La Rabida. Huelva city has San Pedro and the shrine of La Cinta. Lepe and Ayamonte close the coast.

• Espartinas — map
• Sanlucar la Mayor — map
• Niebla — map
• Trigueros — map
• Palos and La Rabida — map
• Huelva — map
• Lepe — map
• Ayamonte — map

The road south follows the influence of Seville cathedral into smaller towns. Utrera (Santiago and Santa Maria de Mesa) and Lebrija (Nuestra Senora de la Oliva, with Mudejar vaults) are the first stops. On the coast: Sanlucar de Barrameda (La O), Rota (La O), El Puerto de Santa Maria (Santa Maria and the castle of San Marcos). Cadiz keeps the crypt of the old cathedral. Inland, Arcos, Medina Sidonia and Vejer have hill churches.

Jerez is the town that holds a full set: San Dionisio, San Lucas, San Miguel, Santo Domingo and the Carthusian monastery of Nuestra Senora de la Defension. If you only leave Seville once in this direction, make it Jerez.

• Utrera — map
• Lebrija — map
• Sanlucar de Barrameda — map
• El Puerto de Santa Maria — map
• Cadiz — map
• Arcos — map
• Jerez — map