Baths of Lady María de Padilla and Alcázar Gardens: Subterranean Waters
Why is it significant?
Descend the stone staircase into the subterranean groin-vaulted chamber of the Baños de Doña María de Padilla. In the cool, echoing stillness, gaze down the long perspective of pointed Gothic ribs reflecting perfectly upon the emerald mirror of the still rainwater reservoir.
Key Facts
| Place | Baths of Lady María de Padilla and Alcázar Gardens: Subterranean Waters |
|---|---|
| Address | Jardines del Alcázar, 41004 Sevilla, Spain |
| Geo Coordinates | 37.38310, -5.99010 |
| Part of Walk | Imperial Seville: The Real Alcázar, Giralda, and Columbus's Tomb |
| Generated | Generated |
Descend the stone staircase into the subterranean groin-vaulted chamber of the Baños de Doña María de Padilla. In the cool, echoing stillness, gaze down the long perspective of pointed Gothic ribs reflecting perfectly upon the emerald mirror of the still rainwater reservoir.
Named after the beloved mistress and secret wife of King Peter the First, these vaults were originally an essential summer cistern keeping fresh rainwater cool during Seville's blistering August heat. Court chroniclers whispered that enamored knights would eagerly drink the very water in which Lady María had bathed to prove their chivalric devotion.
Step back out into the dazzling daylight of the lush gardens, where peacocks roam freely beneath ancient palms and an eighteenth-century hydraulic water organ still plays music using only the pressure of flowing water.
Exit into Plaza del Triunfo and stand before the colossal mountain of stone of Seville Cathedral.