The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-25
A SUNNY CITY OF SPAIN
SEVILLE, AN Old MOORISH CAPITA
ON THE GUADALQVIvIR.
Most Interesting I'm History Art and
Architecture-Traces and Tradi-
tIons OF "Pedro the Cruei.-

der is a proverb which its citizens de-
light in. The same might be truthfully
said OF other Spanish cities: but this An
dalusian capital differs from the rest, with
a warmth and gaiety of life peculiarly it's
own, and Astounding "reminiscences OF the
noble and cultured Moors. whose palaces
and villas were unlike those I'm any other
part of the world. Through five hundred
years IL was their sacred city, in which
they gathered all that wealth could buy
or fashion design, or bravery win. Its
splendid mosques were crowded with wor
shippers of the Prophet, when from the lofty
Gerald the muzzen called the faithful to
prayer; its schools were thronged with
eager students in science and the
arts: and in its glorious Alcazar--
(Al-Kasr, House of Carsar''). were
gathered the statesmen. warriors ard
courtiers of a great and powerful
people All this begun in the eighth CEN
fury. and ended more than two hundred
years before the Western world was dis
covered; but many of the Moorish palaces
are still intact and the glories of that long
past period have left an indelible impress
sion upon the whole region OF the Guadal-
quivir.
Long, long before the day OF the Moori
Seville was old and gray, its foundations
having been laid in the morning twilight
of history by Hercules himself. II any
body doubts the tradition, he may be reas.
sured by reading a quaint inscription
carved above one Of the city gates, which
asserts that Hercules was the founder, and
that julius Caesar captured It from the
Carthagenians more than half a century
before Christ was horn. We know that
much Of the wealth for which Tyre and
Sidon were renowned, was derived from
the region OF the Baetica-the Guadal-
quivir of to-day-a land OF promise, es-
pecially protected by the gods and coveted
by men. Its marvels figured prominently
in classic mythology. related by Homer.
Herodotus, Cicero and others. 1t was on
the island of Juno, you remember, near
the rivers mouth sixty miles or so be-
low this point, where Geryon pastured his
focks.
A CITY OF HISTORY
The chief city OF Baetica, which the
Carthagenians called Sephelia and the Ro-
mans Hisoalis, became a rich and power
full capital under Julius Caesar, who
| changed its name to Julia Romula- i'm
grateful recognition Of its aid during his
wars with Pompey 1t was the seat OF the
Proconsul and the favorite residence OF
| the provincial nobility. Three Roman en-
perors We're born here-Trojan, Adrian and
| Theodosius. At the foot of the olive-cov-
| cred hills, five miles away. scipio built a
| splendid pleasure resort, with a spacious
| amphitheater and many stifnptuous resi-
| dences. Like other Roman cities in Spain.
| the ruins of these have served as quarry
| for generations of subsequent buildersA
| Scipio's amphitheater may yet be clearly
| traced, though its walls and those OF adj
| Jacent palaces went to make a modern
| treak-water in the Guadalquivir. TO fur
nish building material for neighboring con-
vents. and even to pave the streets Of Sc
VILE. Many of the busts and statues of
| Caesars time now grace the Spanish
| museums and the palaces OF grandees, and
the very pavements you walk upon to-day
| may have been trodden by 1.-THE noblest
| Roman of them aII' in the ancient city.
| A portion OF the double stone walls which
| Julius Caesar built around his capital are
| yet standing. Defended by barbicans and
hanking towers, they look as formidable
as when they repealed the attacks of bar
barians, though SCARED by the storms and
| wars Of twenty centuries.
Most of the walls. however, that to-day
| surround Seville, are Of Moslem building.
their six or eight miles in circuit pierced
| by fifteen enormous gateways. and sur
| mounted by sixty-six watch towers. In the
| days Of the caliphs there were 16s Of these
quaint towers; but when 1.-The holy King
Saint Ferdinand" drove out the infidel
! Tin the year 124s) the rest were demolished.
In this dry climate. the passing centuries
have made little impression the old
Moorish houses. which are still the best in
Seville. The Btoors. by the way. discard
ing the Roman name, undertook TO resume
| its remote Chaldean title, Sephelia, but in
their harsher tongue rendered IL Sibidia:
| which has been corrupted to the present
| name, pronounced by the Spaniards.
Sah-veel-yah. Fully half the city pre-
serves its ancient character. but, sad to
say, changes are taking place every year.
The narrow, winding, haphazard streets.
completely overshadowed by spacious
mansions with ample courts and gardens.
so admirably suited to the summer climate
of this "Oven of Spain,' as the section Is
called, are slowly, but alas, too surely CIV
ing way to wide, unpicturesque avenues,
with alleged Improvements" in their
small, hot, commonplace houses, open to
the MONDAY blaze. In the Moorish quar-
tiers, where the forethought OF the build
ers made the streets so narrow that two
carriages could not possibly pass one
another, barriers are placed at each end.
to prevent wheeled vehicles from attempt
ing to enter. In some Of them an ordinary
umbrella. when raised. will barely clear
the walls in turning their zigzag corners.
and donkeys filing through in solemn pro-
cession jostle pedestrians with their buIe-
ing panmirs. The names OF the streets
are in themselves interesting study.
| having reference TO some celebrated per-
sonage who once lived in them, or an his
torical event that transpired in the neigh
borhood. The word Gale (street) never
appears. but merely the name. MUIR
: illo," Juan de Nina" "Abu-l-Kasim.' -
"Auto-de-Fe." ect- AS in Oriental commu-
mites, the different sects are separated;
J the Jews being restricted to one quartsg.
! the Moors to another. the gypsies to Z
. third.
PICTURESQUE PLACE.
, The wide. spacious mansions. with their