Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-05


LOYALTY to the throne. The picturesque
street life with its vivid costumes suit
able to the sunny climate has often been
described and set to music, as in RoSslnl
"Barbiere di Seviglia." Bizet's Carmen
and Mozart's Figaro and Don Clio
vanni." Seville is the home of the famous
dance, the bolero. During the past thirty
wears the population has increased from
133, 600 to upward Of 10000.
History and Tradition.
The history of Seville is a page of ro-
nance. Tradition says that Hercules
founded the city, and that julius Caesar
built the walls, but history is certain that
there was an important Phoenician, and
later a Roman. settlement within few
kilometers northwest of the present site
in early times Under Augustus the city
of Italica, as 1t was called, became the
capital of Baetica. one of the three prov
inces OF Roman Spain. 1t is said to be the
first Latin-speaking town founded outside
of Italy The Emperors Hadrian, Trajan
and Theodosus were born in the neigh
borhood. 1t Is curious that though exca-
vations have revealed many spiendid
public edifices. very few private houses
have been found. The great amphithea-
ter is the most interesting of the ruins:
There is also a magnificent aqueduct OF
Roman origin, conducting water from
Cormina to Seville. 1talica is now repre-
scented by 4 small village called SAINT
Ponce.
After the sack of Rome under Alaric
in A. D. 400 Walia, Nisigothic chief,
established a kingdom in Andalusia
which lasted till Ill, when it fell under
the dominion of the Arabs. Very little
few pillars and stone ornaments rough
Iy executed in the Byzantine style
can be ascribed to the primi-
tive Christian age; but with the coming
of the Moslims there arose a comming-
ling of spirit which gave birth to that
new and beautiful style of art which.
though called Moorish, is really finer and
more delicate than anything found III
North Africa or Arabia, and whose in
huence persisted for centuries after the
Mosque of Yusuf.
Many vicissitudes between Arabian
chiefs and tribes arose after the Moslim
conquest: the Abbadids were succeeded
by the Almoradids. and then came the
hardy Almohades from Africa 1146).
Under the rule of the latter, lshbiliyah
(SevillcI prospered exceedingly and re-
covered its rank as an independent king
dom: great mosque was then built by
Yusuf l, to replace the one which had
been burned during the temporary in
vasion of the Normans in $50. 1t prob
structure. which resembied the larger
mosque of Cordova. Soon after the final
defeat of the Moors. it was reconstructed
and turned into a cathedral by King
Ferdinand III, but in 140l. the building
having been practically ruined by earth
quakes. it was demolished and the pres
ent cathedral commenced The cathedral
of Seville is one of the largest and most
impressive buildings which remain from
the hands of the great architects of the
,,ri1 Il. int Il holm =
ing In its somber grandeur; the exterior Is
less striking than many other churches
of smaller dimensions but its outline is
picturesque and effective. 1t contains
many priceless art treasures, among
which are seventy-four magnificent
stained glass windows, mostly the work
of Flemish painters, silver monstrances
of great size and beauty, carved altar
pieces and choir stalls of extraordinary
richness and deliCacy, and masterpieces
of painting by Murilio and other famous
painters. The tomb of Fernando Colon,
son of the great discoveries occupies a
prominent place near the main entrance.
1t is decorated with carvings represent
ing the vessels which crossed the At
lantic for the first time and is inscribed.
"A Castillo y i Leon mundo nuevo dio
Colon
Among many other famous relics of the
middle ages in Seville Is the Casa Pilatos,
| "a splendid palace commenced in 1900 by
| Enriquez. and finished by Don Pedro
Alan, Duke Of Alcala. in 1888. 1t is re-
markable from its great resemblance In
| general appearance to the Alcazar
| though it is far more modern; but a Close
| examination shows that III its details the
Renaissance feeling had largely over
| powered the Moorish. The central patio
however, is strongly Moorish in effect.
Seville possesses several magnificent
architectural examples of the later ano
definitely Renaissance style, such as the
Ionja texchange-15S5). and the Casa de
Ayuntam iento Getty halD, the hospitals
del Sangre and l. Carload, and the palace
OF San Telmo. The archbishop's palace
the tobacco factory and the bull ring ar,
| large structures but possess no architec
tural Importance.
| III the art Of painting Seville occupies {:
very prominent place. AS the birthplace
| of both Nelazquez and Murillo 1t coulC
| hardly be otherwise, though the former
| did little of his best work there Murillo
! on the contrary, is well represented by
| numerous pictures in the cathedral ano
| other churches; in fact, his influence
seems an integral part of the life Of Tho
| city he loved so well, whose colors, re
ligious emotion, splendor and poverty are
| expressed SO wildly in his works. The
| museum and the churches of Seville alsi
| contain numerous examples of the worn
II Itubar;u and other famous master: