Giralda, Bell tower at Seville Cathedral, Spain
The Giralda rises 103 meters above Seville, featuring a combination of Almohad architecture in its lower section and Renaissance design in its upper belfry section.
Originally built in 1195 as a minaret for the Great Mosque during the Almohad period, the structure was converted into a Christian bell tower after the 1248 reconquest.
The tower's name comes from El Giraldillo, a bronze weather vane statue at its summit that represents the triumph of Christian faith in the region.
Visitors reach the top through a series of 35 gently sloping ramps, which were designed to allow horses to carry materials during the tower's construction.
The Giralda's architectural design influenced numerous buildings across the Americas, with replicas appearing in Kansas City, Miami, and other major cities.
Location: Seville
Location: Ishbiliya
Architectural style: Gothic architecture, art of Almoravides and Almohades, Art of Al-Andalus
Part of: Seville Cathedral
GPS coordinates: 37.38614,-5.99238
Latest update: May 26, 2025 19:14
Clock towers combine technical precision with architectural styles from different periods and cultures. These highly visible structures stand in city centers, university campuses and historic squares, where they structure public life. The collection includes varied examples: the 315 foot (96 meter) neo-Gothic bell tower at Westminster Palace in London, the 1,970 foot (601 meter) Royal Clock Tower in Mecca, the Spasskaya Tower on Red Square in Moscow, the 279 foot (85 meter) neo-Gothic Rajabai Tower in Mumbai, the medieval astronomical clock at Old Town Hall in Prague, the 13th century Zytglogge in Bern, the Giralda in Seville (originally an Almohad minaret), the 548 foot (167 meter) Philadelphia City Hall tower, the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, the 308 foot (94 meter) Sather Tower at the University of California Berkeley, the Zimmer Tower in Lier, the Custom House Tower in Boston, the Mughal era Ghanta Ghar in Lahore, the Union Station clock tower in Waterbury, the Renaissance clock tower on St. Mark's Square in Venice, the Jam Gadang in Bukittinggi and the Jaffa Clock Tower in Tel Aviv. Many of these towers serve as urban landmarks and connect historic architecture with practical function. They frequently offer elevated viewpoints and display remarkable mechanical achievements in timekeeping.
Seville features an exceptional architectural and cultural ensemble. The city is home to the Gothic cathedral, the Moorish-influenced Alcázar, the Santa Cruz district, and the Plaza de España. Parks and gardens such as María Luisa offer spaces filled with orange trees and palm trees. The Guadalquivir River flows through the city, bordered by the Triana district known for its ceramics workshops. Museums, palaces, and churches house art collections from the Middle Ages to the present.
Seville Cathedral
77 m
Reales Alcázares
218 m
Tomb of Christopher Columbus
95 m
General Archive of the Indies
164 m
Giraldillo
16 m
Courtyard of the Orange Trees, Cathedral of Seville
81 m
Antiguo Hospital de Venerables Sacerdotes
224 m
Palacio del Rey don Pedro
247 m
Iglesia Parroquial del Sagrario
132 m
Patio de Banderas
166 m
Casa de los Pinelo
203 m
Edificio La Adriática
246 m
Archbishop's Palace
96 m
Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Saint Isabel of Hungary
209 m
Room of Justice, Alcázar of Seville
223 m
Patio del León, Alcázar of Seville
216 m
Central Post Office of Seville
217 m
Monumento a Juan Pablo II (Sevilla)
39 m
Chapel of Saint Gregory, Cathedral of Seville
91 m
Foro de la Biodiversidad (Sevilla)
141 m
Casa Álvaro Dávila, marqués de Villamarta.
183 m
Antigua Casa Lonja
169 m
Palacio de la Diputación Provincial
105 m
Cilla del Cabildo
209 m
Casa de Olea
197 m
Instituto Andaluz de Arquitectura
170 m
Casa Calvi
160 m
Edificio Santander, Sevilla
205 mReviews
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