La Giralda

La Giralda is the bell tower of Seville Cathedral in Andalucía, Spain. Originally the minaret of the mosque of Seville, it was built during the Moorish era of Spain.

The minaret itself was constructed during the rule of the Moroccan Almohad dynasty in the 12th century. It was completed in 1198 and the sultan Abu Yusuf Yaqub Al-Mansur added 4 golden spheres to the top to commemorate his recent victory at the Battle of Alarcos.

After the Christian reconquest of Seville in 1248 the mosque was demolished and the cathedral was built - which is still the largest cathedral in the world - but the minaret was kept and converted into a bell tower. Nowadays popular with visitors, it is possible to climb up to the top of the tower and enjoy superb views of Seville.