The Torre del Oro is a notable landmark in Seville. It was built in the 13th century by the Almohads, the Muslim dynasty ruling Spain at the time. They also built the Giralda tower of Seville Cathedral! These were the ruling dynasty before the Nasrids who built the Nasrid palaces of the Alhambra. The tower sits on the banks of the Guadalquivir River attracting many admirers. It attracted us from far away. It is somewhat of a focal point. We enjoyed our visit to the small maritime museum inside the tower, and appreciated the views of Seville from the top. As the sun set, the tower lit up in a golden hue. It seemed appropriate as the tower has been called the Tower of Gold.
Stories about the tower
This tower has seen a lot over the past 800 years and has its share of stories to tell as a result. Of course a tower this old is said to be haunted. One legend claims Guzman El Bueno, a historical guy, sacrificed his son to Moorish invaders in return for safety. His spirit is said to make appearances at the tower from time to time, as he still guards the city. The tower actually survived the Lisbon earthquake of 1755 which caused much damage to other structures. Whether it was Guzman, or another entity, the tower is said to be protected by divine forces. Of course, it is possible these legends were created to protect the Tower of Gold which one legend says once contains gold and riches brought back from the Americas, and another says it was once covered in gold tiles. In darker times, this tower was used to hold some high-ranking prisoners. These stories, true or not, add to the visit. And, if you just happen to see a male ghost, now you will know his name!
Two towers flanking the river
When we were in Seville, there were two towers that caught our eye. One modern and one old. I thought it was amusing to see the two towers, flanking opposite sides of the river, in a single view. The new and modern tower is called Torre Seville and is one of the few contemporary features in the Seville skyline. Built in 2015 with approximately 40 floors, the modern tower is the tallest in Seville and one of the tallest in all of Andalusia. There is public space around the Torre Seville and the building itself is mixed use, and houses a shopping center. I thought the new tower looked cool, and maybe a little out of place, which made it somewhat striking. But, I was in Seville to see the old stuff and so my focus is on Torre del Oro.
Photo above: Showing Torre Seville, a modern tower in Seville built in 2015.
Photo above: Showing Torre del Oro, a medieval tower dating back to the 13th Century. If you look closely, you can see Torre Seville in the background — a striking contrast.
The naval museum inside Torre del Oro
My son just had to see the naval museum. He insists on seeing every museum, so it wasn’t because it was a naval museum. Gary and I quickly agreed as this clearly had to be a small museum, and we could count it toward his daily museum allotment. The entry fee was minimal. I cannot find the receipt but I was thinking it was 3 EUR and Gary remembers it was something like 5 EUR. So that is probably a safe range. The cool thing about this museum is that it entertains you as you work your way up the tower. It is obviously a small circular museum on a couple of floors. Then when you make it to the top, you are rewarded with awesome views.
Photo above: One of the model ships displayed in the museum.
Photo above: Another one of the model ships on display.
Photo above: An old map of Seville on display in the museum.
Views of Seville Cathedral from Torro del Oro
So about those views I mentioned. There isn’t a whole lot of space at the top of the tower and you do have to take in the views looking between the merlons and through the crenels. At least I think that is what they are called. The pointy things atop medieval castle walls and towers. The sun was setting when we were at the top of the tower, and we could see Seville Cathedral from here. You can see the view in the photo below.
Having fun at Torro del Oro
The tower is definitely a fun spot to stop at and take in the moment. As I mentioned, it really is a landmark site. And it is beautiful and well preserved. We had fun just being there, experiencing it, and capturing some photos. The photo of me below was taken as I was climbing the stairs to the entrance. Sophia is posing on the river bank with the tower behind her.
Dancing on the river Quadalquivir
We didn’t end up taking the whole family through this museum. My two older girls aren’t all that fond of museums, and I felt like they could experience its awe from the outside. Since the tower is on the river bank, there are nice walking areas along the river passing here. My girls found a comfy bench to sit on, and watched locals dancing on the pavement alongside the river Quadalquiver (a major river that joins the Atlantic ocean). I am really not sure who had the better time!
