Torre del Oro, Seville

Torre del Oro is a dodecagonal military watchtower built to control access to Seville along the Guadalquivir. Its Almohad construction dates from 1220 to 1221, and the tower rises to about 37 metres. The structure is divided into three levels: the original dodecagonal body, a later section associated with Peter of Castile, and a circular upper body added in 1760 after earthquake damage.

Look at the tower’s compact, layered silhouette: its changing geometry records its long building history. The tower’s name comes from the warm sheen it cast across the river, produced by mortar, lime and pressed hay in its construction. It also had a hard military purpose.

The tower formed one anchor point for a chain intended to block the river, helping defend Seville during the Castilian assault of 1248. In the Middle Ages, the tower served as a prison. Today, it houses a maritime museum with navigational instruments, models, documents, engravings and nautical charts connecting Seville with the river and the sea.