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The Semana Santa (Holy Week) and the Feria de Sevilla (Seville Fair), also known as Feria de Abril (April Fair), are the two most well-known of Seville's festivals. Seville is internationally renowned for the solemn but decorative processions during Holy Week and the colourful and lively fair held two weeks after. During the Feria, families, businesses and organisations set up casetas (marquees) in which they spend the week dancing, drinking, and socialising. Traditionally, women wear elaborate flamenco dresses and men dress in their best suits. The marquees are set up on a permanent fairground in the district of Los Remedios,[36] in which each street is named after a famous bullfighter. Gastronomy Andalusian Gazpacho The tapas scene is one of the main cultural attractions of the city: people go from one bar to another, enjoying small dishes called tapas (literally "lids" or "covers" in Spanish, referring to their probable origin as snacks served on small plates used to cover drinks). Local specialities include fried and grilled seafood (including squid, choco (cuttlefish), swordfish, marinated dogfish, and ortiguillas), grilled and stewed meat, spinach with chickpeas, Jamón ibérico, lamb kidneys in sherry sauce, snails, caldo de puchero, and gazpacho. A sandwich known as a serranito is the typical and popular version of fast food. Typical desserts from Seville include pestiños, a honey-coated sweet fritter; torrijas, fried slices of bread with honey; roscos fritos, deep-fried sugar-coated ring doughnuts; magdalenas or fairy cakes; yemas de San Leandro,[citation needed] which provide the city's convents with a source of revenue; and tortas de aceite, a thin sugar-coated cake made with olive oil. Polvorones and mantecados are traditional Christmas products, whereas pestiños and torrijas are typically consumed during the Holy Week. Bitter Seville oranges grow on trees lining the city streets. Formerly, large quantities were collected and exported to Britain to be used in marmalade.[citation needed] Today the fruit is used predominantly as compost locally, rather than as a foodstuff. According to legend, the Arabs brought the bitter orange to Seville from East Asia via Iraq around the 10th century to beautify and perfume their patios and gardens, as well as to provide shade.[37] The flowers of the tree are a source of neroli oil, commonly used in perfumery and in skin lotions for massage. Music Flamenco dancers Seville had a vibrant rock music scene in the 1970s and 1980s[citation needed] with bands like Triana, Alameda and Smash, who fused Andalusia's traditional flamenco music with British-style progressive rock. The punk rock group Reincidentes and indie band Sr Chinarro, as well as singer Kiko Veneno, rose to prominence in the early 1990s. The city's music scene now features rap acts such as SFDK, Mala Rodríguez, Dareysteel, Tote King, Dogma Crew, and Jesuly. Seville's diverse music scene is reflected in the variety of its club-centred nightlife. The city is also home to many theatres and performance spaces where classical music is performed, including Teatro Lope de Vega, Teatro La Maestranza, Teatro Central, the Real Alcazar Gardens and the Sala Joaquín Turina. Despite its name, the sevillana dance, commonly presented as flamenco, is not thought to be of Sevillan origin. However, the folksongs called sevillanas are authentically Sevillan, as is the four-part dance performed with them. Seville, and most significantly, the western district of Triana, was a major centre of the development of flamenco. Economy Avenida de la Constitución during Christmas Seville is the most populated city in southern Spain, and has the largest GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of any in Andalusia,[38] accounting for one quarter of its total GDP.[38] All municipalities in the metropolitan area depend directly or indirectly on Seville's economy, while agriculture dominates the economy of the smaller villages, with some industrial activity localised in industrial parks. The Diputacion de Sevilla (Deputation of Seville), with provincial headquarters in the Antiguo Cuartel de Caballería (Old Cavalry Barracks) on Avenida Menendez Pelayo, provides public services to distant villages that they can not provide themselves.[39] The University of Seville and the University Pablo de Olavide are important centres of learning in western Andalusia as they offer a wide range of academic courses; consequently the city has a large number of students from Huelva and Cádiz. The economic activity of Seville cannot be detached from the geographical and urban context of the city; the capital of Andalusia is the centre of a growing metropolitan area. Aside from traditional neighborhoods such as Santa Cruz, Triana and others, those further away from the centre, such as Nervión, Sevilla Este, and El Porvenir have seen recent economic growth. Until the economic crisis of 2007, this urban area saw significant population growth and the development of new industrial and commercial parks.[40] During this period, infrastructure available in the city contributed to the growth of an economy dominated by the service sector,[41] but in which industry still holds a considerable place.[42] Infrastructure Schindler Tower in the technological and scientific complex Cartuja 93. Guadalquivir River, Isabel II Bridge and Cajasol Tower on the Isla de La Cartuja, designed by the architect César Pelli (Under construction) The 1990s saw massive growth in investment in infrastructure in Seville, largely due to its hosting of the Universal Exposition of Seville in 1992. This economic development of the city and its urban area is supported by good transportation links to other Spanish cities, including a high-speed AVE railway connection to Madrid, and a new international airport. Seville has the only inland port in Spain, located 80 km (50 mi) from the mouth of the Guadalquivir River. This harbour complex offers access to the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, and allows trade in goods between the south of Spain (Andalusia, Extremadura) and Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. The port has undergone reorganisation. Annual tonnage rose to 5.3 million tonnes of goods in 2006.[43] Cartuja 93 is a research and development park.[44] employing 15,000 persons. The Cajasol Tower skyscraper is under construction in the park for the Spanish bank Cajasol's headquarters and offices. The tower was started in March 2008 and is expected to be finished in early 2013. With a height of 180.5 metres (592 feet) and 40 floors, it will be the tallest building in Andalusia. Seville has conference facilities, including the Congress Palace. Its Parque Tecnológico y Aeronáutico Aerópolis (Technological and Aeronautical Park) is focussed on the aircraft industry. Outside of Seville are nine PS20 solar power towers which use the city's sunny weather to provide most of it with clean and renewable energy. Seville harbour. Heineken brewery in Seville Research and development The Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas en Sevilla (CSIC) is based in the former Pavilion of Peru in the Maria Luisa Park. In April 2008 the city council of Seville provided a grant to renovate the building to create the Casa de la Ciencia (Science Center) to encourage popular interest in science.[45] The internationally recognised company Neocodex has its headquarters in Seville; it maintains the first and largest DNA bank in Spain and has made significant contributions to scientific research in genetics.[46] Seville is also considered an important technological and research centre for renewable energy and the aeronautics industry.[47][48] The output of the research centres in Sevillan universities working in tandem with city government, and the numerous local technology companies, have made Seville a leader among Spanish cities in technological research and development. The Parque Científico Tecnológico Cartuja 93 is a nexus of private and public investment in various fields of research.[49] Principal fields of innovation and research are: telecommunications, new technologies, biotechnology (with applications in local agricultural practices), environment and renewable energy. Transportation Bus Seville is served by the TUSSAM (Transportes Urbanos de Sevilla) bus network which runs buses throughout the city. The Consorcio de Transportes de Sevilla communicates by bus with all the satellite towns of Seville. Two bus stations serve transportation between surrounding areas and other cities: Plaza de Armas Station, with destinations north and west, and Prado de San Sebastián Station, covering routes to the south and east. Plaza de Armas station has direct bus lines to many Spanish cities and with Lisbon, in Portugal. Metro The Seville metro ("Metro de Sevilla" in Spanish) is a light metro network serving the city of Seville and its metropolitan area. The system is totally independent of any other rail or street traffic. All stations were built with platform screen doors. It was the sixth Metro system to be built in Spain, after those in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Bilbao and Palma de Mallorca. Currently, it is the fifth biggest Metro company in Spain by number of passengers carried (more than 12,000,000 in 2009). Tram Old tram on display in San Francisco Square MetroCentro is a surface tramway serving the centre of the city. It began operating in October 2007. The service has just five stops: Plaza Nueva, Archivo de Indias, Puerta de Jerez, Prado de San Sebastián and San Bernardo, all as part of Phase I of the project. It is expected to be extended to Santa Justa AVE station, including four new stops: San Francisco Javier, Eduardo Dato, Luis de Morales and Santa Justa. This extension was postponed although the City Council had made expanding the metro lines a priority.[citation needed] Train The Santa Justa Train Station is served by the AVE high-speed rail system, and is operated by the Spanish formerly state-owned rail company Renfe. A five-line commuter rail service (Cercanías) joins the city with the Metropolitan area. Seville is on the Red Ciudades AVE, a net created with Seville next to 17 major cities of Spain with high-speed rail. Bicycle Sevici Bicycle station The Sevici community bicycle program has integrated bicycles into the public transport network. Bicycles are available for hire around the city at low cost and green bicycle lanes can be seen on most major streets. The number of people using bicycles as a mean of transport in Seville has increased substantially in recent years, multiplying tenfold from 2006 to 2011.[50] As of 2013, an estimated 8.9 percent of all mechanized trips in the city (and 5.6 percent of all trips including those on foot) are made by bicycle.[51] The city council signed a contract with the multinational corporation JCDecaux, an outdoor advertising company. The public bicycle rental system is financed by a local advertising operator in return for the city signing over a 10-year licence to exploit city-wide billboards. The overall scheme is called Cyclocity[52] by JCDecaux, but each city's system is branded under an individual name. Airport Boeing 717-2BL at San Pablo Airport San Pablo Airport is the main airport for Seville and is Andalusia’s second busiest airport, after Malaga. The airport handled 4,051,392 passengers and just under 5,000 tonnes of cargo in 2009.[53] It has one terminal and one runway. It is one of many bases for the Spanish low cost carrier Vueling, and from November 2010 Ryanair will base two aircraft at the airport.[54] Port Seville is the only commercial river port of Spain, and the only inland city in the country where cruise ships can arrive in the historical centre. On 21 August 2012, the Muelle de las Delicias, controlled by the Port Authority of Seville, hosted the cruise ship Azamara Journey for two days, the largest ship ever to visit the town. This vessel belongs to the shipping company Royal Caribbean and can accommodate up to 700 passengers.[55] Roads Seville has one ring road, the SE-30, which connects with the dual carriageway of the south, the A-4, that directly communicates the city with Cádiz, Cordoba and Madrid. Also there is another dual carriageway, the A-92, linking the city with Estepa, Antequera, Granada, Guadix and Almeria. The A-49 links Seville with Huelva and the Algarve in the south of Portugal. Education View of Pablo de Olavide University campus. Seville is home to three public universities: the University of Seville, founded in 1505, originally was a tobacco factory and the one in which Carmen worked in the opera Carmen, the Pablo de Olavide University, founded in 1997 and the International University of Andalusia, founded in 1994.[56] Additionally, there is the School of Hispanic American Studies, founded in 1942, the Menéndez Pelayo International University, based in Santander, which operates branch campuses in Seville.[57] Famous natives Maria Antonietta of Spain, Queen consort of Sardinia (1729–1785) Physician Avenzoar The family of the Arabic historian and sociologist Ibn Khaldun 13th-century poet Ibn Sahl of Seville Renaissance composer Cristóbal de Morales, Francisco Guerrero 16th-century novelist Mateo Alemán Playwrights Lope de Rueda and Hermanos Alvarez Quintero Historian of New Spain Bartolomé de Las Casas Baroque painters Diego Velázquez, Valdés Leal and Murillo Explorer and astronomer Antonio de Ulloa Renaissance poets Fernando de Herrera and Gutierre de Cetina Romantic poet Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer Bullfighters Juan Belmonte, Curro Romero, Ignacio Sánchez Mejías and Joselito el Gallo 20th-century poets: Vicente Aleixandre (Nobel Laureate) Antonio and Manuel Machado Luis Cernuda Composer Joaquín Turina Cartoonist William Haselden Actors Juan Diego, Paco León Actresses Soledad Miranda, Verónica Sánchez, Carmen Sevilla, Paz Vega, Azucena Hernández Models Teresa Sánchez López who won the title of Miss National in the Miss Spain contest 1984 and, representing Spain, was close to the crown of Miss Universe in 1985 (1st runner up). Eva Maria González beauty queen and model who was Miss España 2003 (representing Andalusia) Singers Isabel Pantoja, Juanita Reina, Lole y Manuel, Paquita Rico, El Caracol, Falete, Pastora Soler Comedian Manuel Summers Navy officer Miguel Buiza Fernández-Palacios who became Captain General of the Spanish Republican Navy Association footballers José Antonio Reyes, Fernando "Nando" Muñoz, Ricardo Serna, Sergio Ramos, Jesús Navas, Antonio Puerta, Carlos Marchena, Jesús Capitán "Capi" Olympic swimmer Fátima Madrid Politicians Felipe González, President of the Government of Spain from 1982 to 1996, and Alfonso Guerra, vice-president from 1982 to 1991 Diego Velázquez Bartolomé Esteban Murillo Isidoro de Sevilla Joaquín Turina Vicente Aleixandre Antonio Machado Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer Maria Antonietta of Spain Antonio de Ulloa Bartolomé de las Casas Mateo Alemán Felipe González Sport La Cartuja Olympic Stadium Seville is the hometown of two rival association football teams: Sevilla Fútbol Club and Real Betis Balompié, Sevilla playing in the Liga BBVA with Betis recently relegated to the Liga Adelante in the 2013/14 season. Both teams have only won the league once each: Betis in 1935 and Sevilla in 1946.[58] Only Sevilla has won European competitions, winning consecutive UEFA Cup finals in 2006, 2007 and 2014[59] and the UEFA Europa League in 2014.[60] Sevilla's stadium, the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, was a venue during the 1982 FIFA World Cup[61] and four years later hosted the 1986 European Cup Final.[62] Seville's Olympic Stadium on the Isla de La Cartuja was the venue for the 2003 UEFA Cup Final.[63] San Pablo Arena Seville housed the tennis Davis Cup final in 2004 and 2011, and the 7th Athletics World Championships. The city unsuccessfully bid for the 2004[64] and 2008 Summer Olympics,[65] for which the 60,000-seat Estadio de La Cartuja was designed to stage. Seville has one important basketball club, the CB Sevilla, that plays in ACB League. Seville's Guadalquivir river is one of only three FISA approved international training centres for rowing (sport) and the only one in Spain; the 2002 World Rowing Championships and the 2013 European Rowing Championships were held there. In fiction The picaresque novel Rinconete y Cortadillo by Miguel de Cervantes takes place in the city of Seville. The novel La Femme et le pantin, ("The Woman and the Puppet") (1898) by Pierre Louÿs, adapted for film several times, is set mainly in Seville. Seville is the setting for the legend of Don Juan (inspired by the real aristocrat Don Miguel de Mañara) on the Paseo Alcalde Marqués de Contadero Seville is the primary setting of many operas, the best known of which are Bizet's Carmen (based on Mérimée's novella), Rossini's The Barber of Seville, Verdi's La forza del destino, Beethoven's Fidelio, Mozart's Don Giovanni and The Marriage of Figaro, and Prokofiev's Betrothal in a Monastery. Seville is the setting of the novel "The Seville Communion" by Arturo Pérez-Reverte. Seville is both the location and setting for much of the 1985 Doctor Who television serial The Two Doctors. Seville is also used as one of the locations in Dan Brown's "Digital Fortress". Seville is one of the settings in Jostein Gaarder's book "The Orange Girl" ("Appelsinpiken"). Arthur Koestler's book Spanish Testament is based on the writer's experiences while held in the Seville prison, under a sentence of death, during the Spanish Civil War. Robert Wilson's police novel The Hidden Assassins (2006) concerns a terrorist incident in Seville and the political context thereof, with much local colour. Note also his title The Blind Man of Seville (2004). The Plaza de España in the Parque de María Luisa appears in George Lucas' Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones as well as in Lawrence of Arabia as the British Army HQ in Cairo, while the courtyard was the King Alfonso XIII Hotel. The Plaza of the Americas also appeared in Lawrence, substituting for Jerusalem, and in Anthony Mann's El Cid. It would also serve as the Palace of Vladek Sheybal's Bashaw in The Wind and the Lion (1975) (including the memorable attack scene by the US Marines.) The Plaza de España in the Parque de María Luisa appears in the movie The Dictator, starring Sacha Baron Cohen, as the palace of the dictator Aladeen. |
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