The Alcazar of Seville, Spain. The gardens and the Grotto Gallery on the right.
Wikipedia:The Alcázar of Seville (Spanish "Reales Alcázares de Sevilla" or "Royal Alcazars of Seville", (Spanish pronunciation: [alˈkaθar])) is a royal palace in Seville, Spain, originally developed by Moorish Muslim kings. The palace is renowned as one of the most beautiful in Spain, being regarded as one of the most outstanding examples of Mudéjar architecture found on the Iberian Peninsula. The upper levels of the Alcázar are still used by the royal family as the official Seville residence and are administered by the Patrimonio Nacional. It is the oldest royal palace still in use in Europe, and was registered in 1987 by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, along with the adjoining Seville Cathedral and the General Archive of the Indies. The Real Alcázar is situated near the Cathedral and the General Archive of the Indies in one of Spain's most emblematic areas. The Ummayads were the first to build a palace, which was called Al-Muwarak, on the site of the modern day Alcázar. The Alcázar, which started as a Moorish fortress, is one of the most representative monumental compounds in the city, the country, and the Mediterranean culture. King Peter of Castile later expanded the Alcázar into a palace in the mid 14th Century, continuing the Islamic architectural style that it possessed. The influences held within the walls and gardens of the palace began in the Arabic period and continued into the late Middle Ages Mudéjar period right through to the Renaissance period, the Baroque era, and the 19th century. Subsequent monarchs have made their own additions to the Alcázar. The palace was the birthplace of Infanta Maria Antonietta of Spain (1729-1785), daughter of Philip V of Spain and Elisabeth Farnese. The king was in the city to oversee the signing of the Treaty of Seville (1729) which ended the Anglo-Spanish War (1727)
Size: 7360px × 4912px
Location: Seville, Spanje
Photo credit: © Bert de Ruiter / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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