Torre del Oro: The Golden Watchtower of the Guadalquivir
Why is it significant?
Stand on the riverbank promenade of Paseo de Cristóbal Colón and look up at the twelve-sided stone bulk of the Torre del Oro, the Tower of Gold.
Key Facts
| Place | Torre del Oro: The Golden Watchtower of the Guadalquivir |
|---|---|
| Address | Paseo de Cristóbal Colón, s/n, 41001 Sevilla |
| Geo Coordinates | 37.38240, -5.99640 |
| Part of Walk | Seville of Ceramics & Flamenco: Plaza de España, River Towers, and Triana |
| Generated | Generated |
Stand on the riverbank promenade of Paseo de Cristóbal Colón and look up at the twelve-sided stone bulk of the Torre del Oro, the Tower of Gold. Erected in twelve twenty by the Almohad governor Abu al-Ula, this watchtower formed the maritime anchor of Seville's medieval defensive walls guarding the navigable gateway of the Guadalquivir River.
In wartime, a massive heavy iron chain was stretched across the river from the base of this tower to an opposing fortress tower on the Triana bank, physically barring enemy fleets from sailing upstream. In twelve forty-eight, Castilian admiral Ramón de Bonifaz famously used reinforced caravels to ram and shatter the chain, sealing the Christian reconquest of Seville.
Why is it called the Tower of Gold? While romantic folklore claimed it stored the gold and silver bullion brought from the New World galleons, historical research revealed that its golden glow came from a mortar of pressed straw and lime plaster that sparkled like real gold in the Andalusian sun.
Cross the historic iron arches of the Puente de Isabel Segunda into the independent quarter of Triana.