Spain and Portugal for Visitors

Seville's most emblematic sight, the cathedral's famed belltower, the Giralda, is actually the minaret from the Almohad mosque which had stood on the site, though the top levels of the Giralda are more recent. It was once the highest tower in the world at 97.5 metres, and is still the tallest structure in Seville. On top of it stands a huge weather vane, the Giraldillo, a masculine name for a feminine figure, though a pretty weighty one at 4 metres high, 2,000 kilograms of cast bronze representing Faith as a Christian version of Pallas Minerva. The wind turns her by her shield, and she indicates its direction with a palm branch.

Click here for La Giralda opening hours, entrance prices, and how to get there.