The Cathedral of Seville

Also known as the Cathedral of St. Mary of the See, it is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world and the third Christian temple after St. Peter’s in Rome and St. Paul’s in London. Since the conquest of the city, on November 23, 1248, the building of the aljama, or the Almohad Mosque, was converted into the cathedral of the archdiocese of the Kingdom of Seville.
The construction changed the liturgical orientation of the mosque, which was towards the south, for the Christian orientation towards the east, placing the Main Chapel on the east side. With the passage of time, the walls, facades and pillars were covered with altarpieces and paintings. At the end of the fourteenth century, the mosque was badly damaged, at risk of ruin. The cathedral Cabildo decided to demolish the Almohade building to build a Christian cathedral. Its construction was carried out in several phases over more than 500 years, resulting in a mixture of several architectural styles that provide its special beauty.