I did make it into the cathedral this morning, but I only saw part of it. A notice was posted saying that the tower would be closed to tourists this morning, because the bells were going to be rung. I can imagine that the sound of so many large bells could make a deafening sound reverberating inside that closed space.
I did manage to take a clearer photo of the cathedral's bell tower this morning. As I wrote yesterday, the site where the cathedral stands today was once the site of a mosque. When the Christians reconquered Seville and drove the Moors out, they tore down most of the mosque but left the mosque's minaret standing, which they converted into the cathedral's bell tower.
If you scan the following picture with your eye from bottom to top, you will notice that near the top there is an abrupt change of style. Below that point, the walls are heavy and solid looking with a few narrow windows to let in light and geometric designs to ornament the otherwise blank stone walls. Near the top, the style appears much lighter with openings for bells, and even the shade of brown of the stone is slightly different. That is the portion added after the Christians reconquered Seville.
If you scan the following picture with your eye from bottom to top, you will notice that near the top there is an abrupt change of style. Below that point, the walls are heavy and solid looking with a few narrow windows to let in light and geometric designs to ornament the otherwise blank stone walls. Near the top, the style appears much lighter with openings for bells, and even the shade of brown of the stone is slightly different. That is the portion added after the Christians reconquered Seville.
I also mentioned in an earlier post that Christopher Columbus's remains are believed to be in the church.
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