The neighbourhood from where the boats left going to the Americas.
The neighbourhood of Arenal goes from the Puerta de Jerez in the south, to Reyes Catolicos Road to the North, with the river on one side and the Cathedral and the Alcazar of the other. Its name, sandbank in English, comes from how historically it was an area with sandy ground, although since a few centuries ago it has been converted into a bullfighting neighbourhood due to the construction of Bull Square.
The Port of Seville
Now the neighbourhood is filled with bars and restaurants which make reference to the bullfighting tradition, but before this Arenal was a neighbourhood of seafarers, of shipyards, now forgotten, of the Royal Customs Office through which passed the cargo coming from the New World and on the riverbank rested the boats who were coming from and going to the Americas. The Arenal was the port of Seville, the Port of America.
Nevertheless, very few traces of this remain. With the Mint in deplorable conditions, the Royal Shipyard abandoned (or in the very slow process of being renovated) and along with a large part of the Customs Office demolished to build the Treasury Delegation, Seville has forgotten that its most glorious past happened within this neighbourhood.
All of Spain Italy and France depend on these shores: the market place of all trade and profit.
Lope de Vega, El arenal de sevilla
Past and Present
Vestiges of this glorious past have been neglected by the local authorities but you can still see it if you know where to look. The Silver Tower, which keeps its sibling the Golden Tower company in the image of American Seville, you can find in a carpark which is reached by Santander Street. Another recommendable visit is the Charity Hospital, a Sevillian baroque treasure which was built in some of the central warehouses of the shipyard. These were some of the most colossal and important buildings of Seville, but they had been extremely mistreated until a good part was demolished within the last century and the section which can be visited is closed to the public, the wait for it to be opened seems eternal.
The veiw of the port of Sevillefinished when the Maestranza Theatre was built. On the one hand it gave the city a musical and artistic wealth, but on the other hand it interrupted the panoramic view of the city in which the Cathedral and the Giralda stand out behind the port landscape. However, it worth having a look at this great theatre, a symbol of the city’s musical culture. The monument of Mozart is because his opera ‘The Wedding of Figaro’ which happens in Seville.
Walking the well-known Gate of Oil, one of the former gateways, preserved to show us a little of the structure of the city in past centuries.
Life and Food
Arenal is a traditional neighbourhood and not as crowded as Santa Cruz or the Centre. The Sevillians drink their beer in the sun, normally standing, in the company of friends or family. The majority of them have lived in this neighbourhood for their whole lives. In it there are the Brotherhoods of the Baratillo and of the Carreteria, one of the oldest of Seville, which have their processions during Holy Week on Wednesday and Good Friday and to which the people of the neighbourhood tend to be devoted.
The bars tend to be cheap and with traditional tapas, like the famous Bodeguita Romero, El Postiguillo, Restaurante Salas o Pepe Hilo, although there have appeared some great quality gastrobares like La Brunilda. Neither are they missing bars which specialise in beer, such as La International, the Sevillian pub that has the most foreign beers. It even has its own traditional market, the Market of Arenal, where you can find things from home-cooked food to vegan places –Veganitessen-, including authentic Italian food prepared on the day by a chef from this country –La Cocinera Tremenda-.
If you fancy going out, this is also your area, now in Paseo Colon you’ll find various bars, which come alive from 18:00 in the winter and a little later in summer.
Finally, next to the Bridge of Triana, you’ll see Salt Wharf which invites you to sit and rest while looking at the colourful Betis Street while the afternoon sun slowly sets.
Related posts:
If you want to wonder more at the Arenal, don’t hesitate to look at this tour and get to know the untold story of Seville:
Images source: 43 – 53 (section 3)
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