La Giralda is Seville’s defining landmark, a 97.5-meter tower that began life between 1184 and 1198 as the minaret of the city’s Great Mosque under Almohad rule. When Seville fell to Christian forces during the Reconquista in 1248, the mosque was gradually converted into a cathedral, but rather than demolish the minaret, builders left it standing and added a Renaissance-style belfry in the 16th century, topping it with the bronze Giraldillo weathervane in 1568 that gives the tower its name.
What makes a climb up La Giralda unusual is that there are no stairs for most of the ascent. Instead, 34 gently sloping ramps wind upward, originally built so the muezzin could ride a horse to the top to issue the call to prayer. Twenty-four bells hang in the belfry today, including the massive Santa María la Mayor bell, which alone weighs a ton and a half.
As part of Seville Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987, La Giralda is typically open Monday through Saturday from 10:45am to 5pm and Sunday from 2:30pm to 6pm, and the climb rewards visitors with sweeping views across the old town.