The Casco Antiguo (Spanish for Ancient District) is the historic old town located in the central district of Seville, the capital of the Spanish region of Andalusia. It lies on the east bank of the Guadalquivir river.
There are three UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the district: the Cathedral of Seville, the Alcazar and the Archivo General de Indias. The Gothic Cathedral was built in 1403 on the site of a former mosque of which the Almohad minaret, the Giralda, was retained as a bell tower. It is the largest Gothic building in Europe and houses the tomb of Christopher Columbus.
The Alcázar, built by the Moors in 712, was converted into a Christian royal residence in 1248. The Archive of the Indies was designed as a trade exchange of American treasures by Juan de Herrera under the orders of King Philip II of Spain. It was never used in that role and in 1784 King Charles III of Spain decided to store here all documents relating to the conquest of the Americas.
Other buildings in the district include the Torre del Oro, the City Hall, the Palace of San Telmo, and the Metropol Parasol. The University of Seville is mainly based in the former Royal Tobacco Factory in the south of the Casco Antiguo. The city’s bullring is in El Arenal.
Staying in the historic district is a popular choice among tourists. The historic buildings, flamenco evening shows and cuisines from Andalusia are part of the charm of this district. Most of the district is within walking distance to public transport and hop-on-hop-off tour bus stations. Taxi cabs also access the narrow streets up to many hotel front entrances.
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