Alameda de Hercules and Italica

While it is likely that the Romans first settled Sevilla, Hercules is claimed as its mythical founder. At the Alameda de Hercules, Roman columns are topped by Hercules and Julius Caesar. This is an interesting part of town - good tapa bars/restaurants, great ice cream, and all sorts of kids and people playing, walking, and sitting around. It is also the home of the daughter of friends of ours, and her husband and two delightful children. We got lots of insider tips about Sevilla from them.

 

We visited Italica, an archaeological site just outside of Sevilla, that was settled first in 206 BC with much of what remains from the 2nd century. It was the home of Roman Emperors Trajan (first one from the provinces) and Hadrian, his nephew/adopted son. While much of the site has been taken to other museums, it was fascinating to see the layout of the old Roman city. On the right, Elliot and Tula doing their best imitations of Roman statues.

 

The mosaics still in place are impressive - it is always something to look at art created so long ago. This floor is from the House of the Planetarium where the seven planetary gods related to the days of the work are pictured.

Later in the week we visited Museo Palacio de la Condesa de Librija in Seville, where many mosaic floors and other artifacts were taken from Italica and became first part of a private home and then became the museum it is today. It was odd to see so many mosaic floors transported to a new setting, out of context from their original site.

 

The amphitheater that was built here was the third largest built by the Romans, able to seat 25,000 people. While much of it is gone, it is still an impressive sight.

 

We also stopped at San Isidore del Campo Monastery which was Europe's southernmost Cistercian monastery. This order doubled as soldier monks in helping to keep the Christian border secure during the centuries of border skirmishes between the Muslims and the Christians.

 

The monastery and its church are great examples of Mujedar art complemented by the Gothic architecture. Much of the church interior art and sculpture is intact, and the14th century frescoes of the cloister are really something.

 

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