The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-03-04

temples OF Astartes Salambo and MO-
manned, the latter having been pulled
down TO make way for the cathedral, all
but the Giralde tower at the northern end.
There are nine entrances. two fine gothic
doorways at the east end and on the north
side the famous Puerto del Perdon, which
has some exquisite details over its horse
shoe arch and pair Of magnificent bronze
doors. Entering for the first time II is
well 10 choose the Puerto del Eagarto
Gate Of the Crocodilel, so called from the
enormous stuffed crocodile that hangs
above II, which was sent by the Sultan as
a present when he requested the daughter
of Alonzo de Subro for his wife. The King
kept the iil-omened gift, but declined the
young lady, who doubtless thought that
her suitor's first love token was not indica-
tive Of the tender regard she desired
Just inside the main entrance is the
tomb of Fernando Columbus, son OF the
great navigator and last of his illustrious
race. A simple marble slab covers his
dust, with sculptured caravels upon 1t
representing the primitive ships in which
the new world was discovered. Below the
caravels Is the unique design OF globe
belted with the famous inscription:
"a Castillo a Leon
MandO nueV0 Ole QOlOn.
At the opposite end of the church is the
royal chapel. place of unheard-of mag
nificence. where beneath the altar Saint
Ferdinand rests in a sarcophagus of solid
silver, wrapped in his robes OF state and
carrying in his skeleton hand the golden
insignia Of royalty. The kingly rascal was
canonized In 1877. because he carried fag-
OTIS with his own hands for the burning
OF heretics." Every year. on the anniver-
sary Of the capture Of Seville. an imposing |
mass IS celebrated and the troops of the
garrison file through this chapel. present.
ing arms as they pass to the bones OF the
sainted soldier. which are uncovered for
the occasion Here also sleeps Queen |
Reatrix, his son Alonzo de Sabio and Maria |
de Padilla. the morganatic wife of Pedro |
tine Cruel The war-horse of the conqueror |
OF Seville, fully caparisoned, stands above |
the grating Of the entrance, and within |
are preserved the banners used by both |
armies during the siege. the keys OF the
Moorish city. the sword OF the Ferdinand !
and a small statuette which was given him |
by st. Louis. of France. 1t is said that un- |
til he died the image never left his person, |
and was then made the presiding divinity |
Of the chapel containing his tomb. II is |
called "Nuestra Sonora de los Reyes
Our Lady of the King. 1t Is an inartistic |
thing of wood, with hair of spun gold, ru-
bies set in the eyes, and clothed I'm a man. |
tie OF cloth-of-gold. embroidered with heur- |
de-lis and more than one kings ransom" |
IN the way OF diamonds and precious
stones.
WORKS OF ART.
More interesting than these are the |
init nd
with which the whole vast structure is
crowded Amid this maze of art and beau |
ty three pictures stand forth beyond all
others They Murillo's Angel de la
Gusrda," In which glorious seraph with |
spreading wings leads a little child by the |
hand; MuriIlo's 'tSan Antonio" represent
ing the saint kneeling in cell. all the poor
details faithfully portrayed. and beyond
the long arcade Of a cloister while above
the child Jesus appears. drawn by the
power Of prayer and descending through |
wreaths of angels The third is In the
great sacristy. 1t is the solemn and awful |
Deposition from the Cross" by Pedro de
Campana. before which. at his own desire,
Murillo was buried. During his lifetime |
no room for jealousy. used to remain for
hours before this picture. Once the sacris- |
tan asked him why he stood gazing there. |
Said he: IL am waiting till those holy |
men have finished their work"
Day after day when wearied Of explor- |
ing the cathedral we go out under the big
crocodile into the Court of Oranges"
where the moss-grown fountain in which |
the Moors performed their sacred ablutions |
still sparkles in the sunshine. Directly |
overhead towers the GiraIoa-far above |
houses and palaces and the huge cathe-
dral, its color a delicate pink, incrusted
all over with Moorish ornamentation.
Whatever you may tire of in Spain it will
never be this beautiful minaret. With its
history everybody is famiIiar-how it was
built in the last half OF the twelfth century
by the Sultan Abu Yalub Yakub for
muezzin tower. 1t rests upon triangular
base composed of all the statues of pagan
deities and other idolatrous fragments Of
antiquity that could be collected. The
tower is fifty feet square and the original
height was two hundred cubits. In 1868 an
addition of richest filagree work was
made by Fernando Ruiz, and now it is $50
feet from the pavement to the head of the
statue on top. For eighty-seven feet the
walls are of polished blocks of stone;
tracery and arabesques of the most capri
>eious design. differing on each side, yet so
8rtfully combined that one can hardly de-
tect the variations. The interior is lighted
by double windows, divided by columns of
alabaster. The name, "Giralda"
girar. to TURNS given from the figure of
Faith. on top. which serves as a weather
vane- Though the great bronze female is
fourteen feet high and weighs nearly three
thousand pounds. she veers with the
slightest breeze, and hence the standing
joke in all languages anent the steadfast
Faith turning with every wind that
blows Although so high. 1t is easy to as
cend to the very top OF the tower. There
are no steps. but series of moderately in
clined planes. up which one may go on
horseback, IL so inclined. 1t is said that
many times the wild cavaliers OF the Span
ish court have ridden to the summit and
back again without dismounting-two
abreast. with lances poised.
Nothing can be more enchanting than to
spend morning among the birds at the
top of the Giralda, where. from the broad
embrasures, you overlook the whole city,
the soft curves OF the Guadalquivir, and
the sunny plains melting into anethystine
distance On great occasions the belfry is