THE ALCAZAR OF SEVILLA

It's tough to compete with a wonder like the Alhambra of Granada, but The Royal Alcazars in Sevilla gives it a good contest.  True, it's smaller and doesn't sport museums, but it, too, is a distinguished UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Originally a 10th century Moorish fort, it was converted after the Reconquest into a royal palace.  And today, it's the oldest royal palace still in use in Europe (by the Spanish royal family as their official residence in Sevilla).  It's said to be one of the best remaining examples of mudëjar architecture.

There is room after room after room, and you think you will never see the end of them....external and internal facades, archways, and ceilings all decorated with intricate tiles or carved wood.

Once again, the geometric shapes so typical of this time. 

And, of course, beautiful courtyards.

The palace on the second level was added by Charles V and is decorated in the Italian Renaissance style.

The molding and arch treatment was entirely different from the first floor, but equally intricate and beautiful.

There were some stunning tapestries in one of the very large salons.

There were six wall tapestries in this room, all so huge that I couldn't capture any one of them in its entirety.  

The grounds were lovely as well.  About the grounds were several artists capturing creations of nature and man.  I loved the gnarlly trunk of this tree.

As did the artist trying to recreate its twists and turns.

Some of nature got a little shaping by man.

I turned a corner and almost bumped into this colorful garden denizen.  He was the only one of his kind that I saw, which is unusual, I think.

One of the bordering walls.....there's a very busy road on the other side.

Unfortunately, there is no attempt to show how these rooms might have been furnished in times past...it's so much easier to imagine what everyday life was like when household items are present.  But the architecture and decorative work is worth seeing, and for this experience, I have only superlatives.  I feel so fortunate to be seeing all these wondrous sights!