The CULT-TIPS partners are spread across the whole of Europe and live close to some fascinating cultural heritage. In this series of blog posts we'd like to introduce you to some of the iconic heritage that our partners want to share!
The Golden Tower - a legacy of Moorish Seville
The Torre del Oro (Golden Tower), which dominates the banks of the River Guadalquivir, is a remnant of the Moorish fortified walls which originally enclosed the city. A watchtower designed to protect the docks, its iconic shape makes it one of Seville’s best-known monuments, after the Giralda which was built just a few years earlier.It is one of the most representative symbols os Seville. It was named a historic-artistic monument in 1931.
Its name comes from the golden shine it projected on the river, due to its building materials, a mixture of mortar, lime and pressed hay.
The Torre del Oro was built in the 12th century during the reign of the Taifa Kings, a time when Spain was invaded by the Moors. that controlled much of Southern Spain until it was reconquested by the Christians in the 13th century.
The tower is 36 metres high and stands on the left bank of the Gadalquivier River. It has three sections, the first two of which are dodecagonal. The main body has a 12-side floor, whereas the upper part has a 6-side floor and was built by Pedro I, “the Cruel”, the same that ordered the construction of the Alcazar, a Mudejar Palace.
The Torre del Oro now houses a small but interesting naval museum, has had several critical and decisive moments throughout history, it was used as a chapel, a prison for noblemen, a gunpowder store, and the offices of the Port authorities and the Naval Command.
Spanish partner: IES Hermanos Machado
Our Spanish partner IES Hermanos Machado is a school based near Seville in the south of Spain. They're working with the rest of the partners to develop and test exciting learning materials.
