History Of Seville

Hailed as southern Spain’s artistic, cultural and financial capital, Seville is the capital of both Andalucia and the province of Sevilla. The city has a long history dating back to ancient times, when it was originally called Hispalis.  Then while under Roman control, it was renamed Romulensis. Today Seville is a modern city and Spain’s fourth largest metropolitan area.

In the first 1,000 years after Christ, Seville experienced turbulent times, with control of the city changing hands regularly. In 712 AD, Seville fell into the hands of the Arabs who made it the capital of the province of Išbliya (it's from this that the name Seville originated), but a little over 100 years later, in 844 AD, the Normans moved in and destroyed everything the Arabs had built. In the same century, the Phoenicians formed settlements in the Guadalquivir River valley, creating a city which they named Tartessus. It’s believed that this city formed part of what we now know today as Seville.

The berberic Almoravides took control of the city in 1091, but were displaced fairly quickly by the Almohades. Then some two centuries later, Ferdinand III conquered the city, from which point onwards it remained in the hands of the Christian Spaniards. The city’s next most significant period of development occurred in the 16th and 17th centuries, when it became a focal point for Spain’s art scene and the trans-shipment centre of the Spanish maritime. The city’s industrial status waned with the arrival of the Moors and gradually Seville’s eminent trade position with America was compromised.

With the arrival of the 20th century, Seville became the venue for the World Expo in both 1929 and 1992. On the first occasion, the Plaza de Espana was built for the event, while on the second occasion the highly respected Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava was brought in to design the Alamillo Bridge, which was a focal point of the proceedings. This magnificent structure is still an eye-catching feature of the city’s skyline.