Torre del Oro Seville

The Tower of Gold at the Quidalquivir in Sevilla Spain

The Golden Tower is one of Seville's iconic landmarks. La Torre del Oro is a military observation tower in the city of Sevilla Spain.

Visit Torre del Oro in Seville

Torre del Oro, tower of gold

The Torre del Oro is the "Tower of Gold" in Seville. The 36-meter-high tower was built by the Almohads in the 12th century and was part of the Moorish city wall, which ran between the Alcazar Palace and the rest of Seville. The purpose of the tower was to control shipping on the Guadalquivir. A heavy chain ran under water from the massive tower to the other side to prevent enemy ships from sailing on the river.

^{The boat trips depart from the 'Tower of Gold'}

^{Museo Naval de Sevilla in the Torre del Oro}

The Torre del Oro is located next to the Guadalquivir River and near the Plaza de Toros. The name "Golden" tower refers to Andalusia's prosperous period during the times of the Latin American colonies. When ships entered Seville via the river, they could discharge their cargo (gold) here. In addition to being a storage place, the middle part is a prison. Another reason for the name would be that, in the past, the sight of the second section seemed to be gilded and a golden sheen shone in the river. The last small turret was added to the top only in 1760.

Museo Naval de Sevilla

Today, a maritime museum is located on the top floor of the Torre del Oro (Museo Naval de Sevilla). The Museo Naval is a small museum and displays antique shipping instruments, scale models and sea maps. You also have a nice view over the Guadalquivir from this location.

Boat trips on the Guadalquivir

Near the Torre del Oro are the boarding points for boat trips on the Guadalquivir river. A relaxing activity if you want to see the sights from the water. You can choose from the following boat trips:

Location Torre del Oro Sevilla

Nearby the Tower of Gold are also:

Plaza de Toros

Alcazar of Seville

Barrio Santa Cruz

Barrio de Triana