Real Alcázar History: Moorish Fortress to Royal Palace

The Real Alcázar grew over a thousand years, from a Moorish fortress into the royal palace it still is today. Its most famous part, the Mudéjar Palace of King Pedro I, was built around 1364: a Christian king's palace in the style of Islamic Spain.

Timeline

Date	What happened
12th century	Under the Almohads, Seville's fortified palace complex is expanded; parts of their palaces survive in today's Alcázar.
1248	Ferdinand III of Castile takes Seville. The Alcázar becomes a Christian royal residence.
1364–1366	Pedro I builds the Mudéjar Palace. Inscriptions give both years, and his ally Muhammad V of Granada probably sent craftsmen.
1503	The Catholic Monarchs found the Casa de Contratación here to run trade with the Americas.
1526	Emperor Charles V marries Isabella of Portugal in the Alcázar.
1987	UNESCO lists the Alcázar, the Cathedral and the Archivo de Indias as a World Heritage Site.

Why a Christian king built an "Islamic" palace

Mudéjar is the name for Islamic-style art made in Christian Spain. For Pedro I, the refined architecture of al-Andalus was simply the most prestigious style available: carved plaster, tiled walls, wooden ceilings and courtyards with water. The inscriptions in his palace mix Arabic praise with Castilian titles, one of the clearest signs of how the two cultures met here.

Still a royal palace

The upper floor, the Upper Royal Quarters, is still used by the Spanish royal family when they stay in Seville, which makes the Alcázar a working royal palace as well as a monument.

See the history with a guide

The palace is easier to read with someone pointing out who built which room and why. The guided tour with priority access (from €37.40, free cancellation) covers the main palaces.

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