Seville, Pearl of the South. Basking in temperate spring sunshine, the ancient walls of the city almost ooze romance. It was to this place that the great treasure ships from the New World sailed after discovery of the Americas in 1492.
Huge Spanish galleons would navigate the length of the Guadalquivir river, their sailors starved of human contact after several weeks at sea, and unload their spoils at one of the most beautiful and fortunate docks in the world.
This was the city prized by the Moors for its gentleness and beauty. However, this too was the city that after the Reconquest in 1492, expelled all its Jewish residents although many of them had converted to Christianity in order to conform to the ruthlessness of the era.
A city of contrasts, Seville embraces the modern yet preserves the ancient ways. In the week of Semana Santa, the heady aroma of coffee and orange blossom permeates the streets. Heaving, throbbing masses of laughing, sweltering people pulsate down the narrow streets forming a human river that drags everything in its path. And yet, the night air is heavy with the scent of wild roses, fruiting oranges and expectancy.
 The discovery of the Americas by Europeans in the early Middle Ages marked the beginning of the epoch of splendour for Seville and the city became known as the Gateway to the Indies. It was to this place that the legendary wealth of the Aztecs and Incas was transported after the conquest of the Americas. Merchants from all over Europe gathered here, not only to take advantage of the inflow of fabulous wealth but also to live in the gentle surroundings of the south of Spain.
Seville was chosen as the main port of arrival for the treasure fleets for several reasons; first for its location, as it was inland and therefore easy to protect from marauding pirates. Secondly, because of the ready availability of fresh food and provisions for the frequent fleets that plied the Atlantic between South America and Europe.
The city was accessed by the Guadalquivir river that took ships with shallow draft from the Atlantic seaport of Cadiz to the heart of mainland Spain. These fleets comprised powerful merchant vessels protected with bronze cannons and it was for defensive reasons that the trade route became very important when, in 1503, there was the discovery in Cuba of rich copper deposits.
The happenings of this period of time is well recorded due to the inception of the House of Trade (Casa de Contratación) - an organisation that was established to catalogue and record all information concerning the fleets, their cargo and a plethora of detailed information of the times. This information includes detailed listings of information such as as gold statues that were melted down for the Spanish mint, plans of buildings and maps of settlements, lists of baptised Indians and even complaints against officials.
 By the end of the fifteenth century, however, Seville's attraction as a destination became diminished. Its location, some 80 kilometres from the coast, became too difficult to access for ocean going vessels. Couple this with the treacherous head waters in the Guadalqivir delta and it is understandable that the influence of the city began to decline as fleets were forced to use the deep water sea port of Cadiz.
But it doesn't take much imagination, as you stroll around the ancient streets of Seville, to see the city as it was in its heyday. It was then and remains today the Pearl of the South.
More information
http://www.turismo.sevilla.org
http://www.sevillaguia.com/
http://www.sevilla.org/impe/sevilla/portada
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Last Updated ( jueves, 15 mayo 2008 )
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