The 19^th century begins with convulsions. Napoleon invaded Spain and the country fronted its so called Independence War, which had disastrous consequences, since the general in charge of the French troops, the hated marshal Soult, destroyed churches and convents that had great historical value while at the same time pillaging great works of artistic value. It’s also in this period when the American colonies became independent, putting to an end to the stage when America and Spain went hand in hand.

The destruction of heritage

However, even once the war finished and the French were outside the Spanish borders again, the damage towards the cultural wealth didn’t stop there, this time though it was the country itself which committed unpardonable acts. The ideals of political liberalism decided that the walls constricted the city, and so they were demolished without regard. The same walls which had been standing since the Almohad period, with its numerous gates composed of fine examples of Baroque and Medieval art, disappeared forever.

As if that wasn’t all, from Madrid came the order for confiscation, that’s to say, those properties of the church that were not giving benefits were bequeathed to the State, in addition, to removing all the religious orders apart from those which were dedicated to charity. Possibly in other Spanish regions these measures bore fruit but to a city as loyal to the church as Seville, in which the institution looked after or at least lived in buildings of historical artistic importance it was more an attack on the heritage of Seville by leaving these buildings to their fate.

The Romantic Image

However, while Andalusia, Seville and Spain forgot its history, Europe showed interest in it, but only on a superficial and mythical way whose view still prevails until now. It was the time of exoticism and romanticism of Andalusia. Seville and Andalusia mingled into one in the foreign imagination, turning into the region of the Cigarreras, bullfighting, bandits, an Arabic past, and the figure of Don Juan. All of this inspired by books and operas which have survived until our time. Although their contribution to the culture is important and not completely untrue, they are more of a reflection of the cultural movement of the time rather than an approach to the real history of Seville, which has remained almost hidden to everyone.

Albeit, Seville did participate in Romanticism. The Rhymes and Legends of the Sevillian writer Gustavo Adolfo Becquer are one example, at the same time as buildings such as ‘The Queen’s Seamstress’ which combined with its tragic history gave place to legends which the locals like to tell.

At the end of the century Seville started to modernise, with iron constructions like the Bridge of Triana (Isabel II Bridge), the establishment of street lights, and the water supply without forgetting either, that in this century is when the Seville Fair was started.

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Image source: Flickr. Antonio Marín Segovia