Giralda Tower

The Giralda was originally built in the 12th century as the minaret for the Great Mosque of Seville during the Almohad dynasty. Its architectural design was based on the Koutoubia Mosque minaret in Marrakesh, Morocco. Following the Christian reconquest of Seville in 1248, the tower was spared and incorporated into the city's cathedral.

The tower stands precisely 104 meters (341 feet) tall, making it one of the most prominent landmarks in the city's skyline. It held the title of the tallest building in Seville for centuries. The height includes both the original Moorish base and the later Renaissance-style bell tower added in the 16th century.

The upper section featuring the bells and the bronze weathervane (El Giraldillo) was added in the 16th century by architect Hernán Ruiz the Younger. He elegantly extended the original Almohad structure with a Christian Renaissance belfry. The bronze statue at the very top represents Faith and acts as a giant weather vane.

Instead of stairs, the Giralda features a series of 34 gently sloping ramps designed so that the muezzin could ride a horse to the top to call Muslims to prayer. Visitors to Seville Cathedral today still use these same ramps to reach the bell tower. It allows for a relatively easy ascent to the panoramic viewing area.