Tower of Gold
The Torre del Oro (Golden Tower or Tower of Gold) is one of the most emblematic buildings in Seville. This almohade construction, placed near to the Guadalquivir River, was built in the XIII century, and was used as an element of defence and storage in the harbour.
The tower was named this way because of it proximity to the build where coins were minted, and also because there were stored the treasures brought from Indies. There is another theory, which tells that it name is because of the golden bright of the tiles that initially covered the tower.
But the most romantic and traditional explanation of the name is a legend. Tradition says that this tower is called "golden" because there are also golden the hair of a lady, who was confined in the tower by King Pedro. That beautiful lady committed an offence: the King fell in love with her, but she didn’t reciprocate him, because she really loved his husband, a soldier, who were struggling for the Kingdom.
"Seville is a tower full of thin archers" (Federico García Lorca)
