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Seville is a bright, colorful and festive city where study becomes pleasure.
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SEVILLE
IS ART, HISTORY AND CULTURE
Seville is located in Andalusia, the southwest region of Spain famous for its sun, hospitality, wines, folklore, flamenco dancing and bullfighting. Andalusia is a balance of old and new, of culture dating back to the third millennium and technological progress, of unspoiled countryside and modern urban development, of undiscovered coves and long stretching cosmopolitan beaches. Seville,
the capital of Andalusia, with a population of 800,000 inhabitants
(more than a million including the urban community), is known world-wide.
In 1992, the World Exposition was held in Seville in honor of the
500 year anniversary of the discovery of America. This great affair
stimulated a change of modern progress within the city. The city developed
accordingly to accommodate the World Exposition and now continues
to advance into the 21st century with the current construction of
a metro. The
city lies within hours of a number of famous travel destinations including
Córdoba and Granada, Portugal and Morocco. Seville has its
own international airport and is two hours from Malaga International
Airport. In addition, Seville is less than three hours from Madrid
by AVE (High Speed Train). Seville is home to a number of great monuments and a rich history. The city was discovered by Julius Caesar and there are various Roman ruins that remain standing today in the city and its surrounding areas. During the 1st century, Seville was occupied by the Moors, whose influence is visible in many aspects of the city's architecture. In the 12th century, the Cathedral of Seville was constructed around the Giralda bell tower which was originally used by the Moors for calling the faithful to prayer. In the 1360´s, the Alcazar Palace was built close by to the Cathedral. It is a magnificent example of the style in which the Moors constructed their palaces and it bears striking resemblance to Granada's famous Alhambra. Years later, during Spain's Golden Age, boats from the Americas sailed up the Guadalquiver River from the Atlantic Ocean and unloaded their goods in Seville, thus making it the most important center of commerce in Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries. This
great history gave rise to an alluring culture and many of Seville's
traditions are still carried out today including the procession of
the Stations of the Cross done during Semana Santa (Holy Week). Seville's
most popular tradition is the Feria de Abril (April Fair). This week-long
festival is one of the most famous in all of Spain. People from all
over the country come to Seville to take part in the festivities because
the Feria de Abril is guaranteed to be a very enjoyable experience.
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