As we entered this portal, we were in the garrison yard of the original palace. Notice the stone work; although the blocks are of different sizes, they are placed in neat rows. And the stones that create the arch probably had lots of chipping and chiseling done in order to make them the correct size.

We walked through the garrison yard and into the Patio de la Monteria or Courtyard of the Hunt. Looking back to the portal we walked through, one can have this view. I donâÂÂt know why that wall is so thick, it might have been as a precaution against invaders breaching the outer walls. You can see the top of the Giralda Tower from the Seville Cathedral. This is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

By turning 180 degrees, I saw the façade of King PedroâÂÂs Palace or Peter of CastilleâÂÂs Palace (we will go into that building later). You might notice (of course I am suggesting that you notice) the windows above rectangle entrance �" those are the living quarters of the KingâÂÂs family whenever they are present. Imagine living in a museum!

This is a representation of the opening of the Ibero-American Expo of 1929 with King Alfonso XIII and his wife, Victoria. This is displayed in AdmiralâÂÂs Salon just of the Monteria Patio.

Next to the Admiral's Salon is a chapel.

This painting, by Alejo Fernandez, is titled Virgin of the Navigators and is thought to have been painted 1531 �" 1536. It depicts the Virgin Mary as she connects the old world under her left foot and the new world under her right foot. Among those depicted in the main panel are Ferdinand II, Charles V, Christopher Columbus and Amerigo Vespucci. Depicted in the four outlying panels are: St. Sebastian, St. James the Great, St. Elmo and St. John the Evangelist.

As I labeled these after we returned, I labeled this as the ceiling in the chapel where the previous photo was taken. However, the time difference between the two (more than 30 minutes) shows me it is not that ceiling. So, I relabeled it simply as a vaulted ceiling. Pretty cool!

The Moorish influence is prominent throughout the buildings and grounds, similar to The Alhambra, more than 150 miles away. Many of the workmen were from Africa and other Spanish provinces. I have no clue how they went about advertising for skilled tradesmen in those days. It is not as though you could call someone on the phone or even post notices on utility poles. I wonder.

Here is a close-up of some of the workmanship. Blue was used (as also seen at Alhambra) as a highlighter. I tried to research to determine the source of this blue, but could not locate anything definitive.

This photo, along with the previous two, were all taken within a 5 minutes span. I have zero idea where we were. Again, you can see the Mudejar style of ornamentation. I guess that you or I will have to get to the Alcazar in Seville to discover some of these things.

What wonderful craftsmanship! Thanks for taking the time to let us experience this vicariously.

Thanks for the pictures. Thinking back to even a hundred years ago, craftsmen like these were usually recruited through their guilds, which had even more influenze than today's unions.