The Giralda Tower (tallest portion at right) is attached to the Seville Cathedral. This is it on a cloudy day from ground level....
....and on a clear day after sunset from a half mile away.......
....and in the darkness from across the river in Triana. But, what's it like to climb it in the daytime and look out? I must seek out the high ground.
It is pretty spectacular! This view is looking down at the rooftops of the adjacent Cathedral.
More Cathedral roof and part of the flying buttress structures.
A plaza filled with orange trees makes up the garden immediately adjacent.
The nearby buildings of the Centro neighborhood begin right across the street - shops, bars, restaurants, residences - all the elements of a vibrant city with this dramatic structure as its anchor point.
Turning eastward, the sprawl of Seville stretches to the horizon. The afternoon shadow of the tower where I'm standing is in the center foreground. The Barrio Santa Cruz neighborhood is at right.
Only a very few stair steps were built to get to the top of this 100 meter structure (about 300 feet). Instead, access to the top is via 35 inclined ramps that were originally designed to allow a horse and rider to climb up the original Moorish tower.
And at the top, wow, the tower bells were loud when standing right underneath as they rang out! No longer manually rung but instead, a complex series of chains and gears and pulleys and electronics. And no more horses, either!
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