Courtyard of the Orange Trees, Cathedral of Seville, Moorish courtyard at Cathedral Complex in Seville, Spain
The Courtyard of the Orange Trees is an open-air courtyard attached to the Cathedral of Seville, sitting between the main entrance and the nave. Orange trees are arranged in rows across the paved ground, and stone paths cross the rectangle toward the cathedral's different entrances.
The space was created in the 12th century as the washing area of the Great Mosque that once occupied this site, used for ritual purification before prayer. When the mosque was torn down and replaced by the cathedral, the basic layout of the courtyard was kept.
The courtyard reflects its Moorish origins through the layout and the central fountain with its historic basin. Today it remains a place where visitors experience the layered history of Seville through the space itself.
The courtyard is accessible through the Puerta del Perdón entrance and is covered by the cathedral ticket. On hot days the orange trees offer little shade, so visiting in the early morning makes the experience more comfortable.
The basin of the central fountain dates from Visigothic times, making it older than both the mosque and the cathedral that followed. The fountain still works today and is considered one of the oldest functioning water features in the city.
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