Cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo de Indias in Seville


World Heritage Identification Number: 383

World Heritage since: 1987

Category: Cultural Heritage

Transboundary Heritage: No

Endangered Heritage: No

Country: 🇪🇸 Spain

Continent: Europe

UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America

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The Architectural Triumvirate: Cathedral, Alcázar, and Archivo de Indias in Seville

The architectural triumvirate of the Cathedral, Alcázar, and Archivo de Indias in Seville, Spain, forms a remarkable monumental complex that showcases the rich cultural history of the region. This ensemble, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, offers a unique blend of architectural styles, from the Moorish influences evident in the Alcázar to the grandeur of the Gothic cathedral and the historical significance of the Archivo de Indias.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

Together these three buildings form a remarkable monumental complex in the heart of Seville. The cathedral and the Alcázar – dating from the Reconquest of 1248 to the 16th century and imbued with Moorish influences – are an exceptional testimony to the civilization of the Almohads as well as that of Christian Andalusia. The Giralda minaret is the masterpiece of Almohad architecture. It stands next to the cathedral with its five naves; the largest Gothic building in Europe, it houses the tomb of Christopher Columbus. The ancient Lonja, which became the Archivo de Indias, contains valuable documents from the archives of the colonies in the Americas.

Encyclopedia Record: Seville Cathedral

The Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See, better known as Seville Cathedral, is a Catholic cathedral in Seville, Andalusia, Spain. It was registered in 1987 by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, along with the adjoining Alcázar palace complex and the General Archive of the Indies. It is one of the largest churches in the world and the largest Gothic cathedral.

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Additional Site Details

Area: 12 hectares

UNESCO Criteria: (i) — Masterpiece of human creative genius
(ii) — Significant interchange of human values
(iii) — Unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition
(vi) — Directly associated with events or living traditions

Coordinates: 37.38384 , -5.99155

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Image of Cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo de Indias in Seville

© Fernando, CC BY-SA 4.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)

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Nearby World Heritage Sites

Doñana National Park
58 km — Spain
Caliphate City of Medina Azahara
114 km — Spain
Historic Centre of Cordoba
120 km — Spain
Antequera Dolmens Site
134 km — Spain
Gorham's Cave Complex
152 km — United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Country Information: Spain

Flag of Spain

Official Name: Kingdom of Spain

Capital: Madrid

Continent: Europe

Population (2024): 48,807,137

Population (2023): 48,347,910

Population (2022): 47,786,102

Land Area: 499,730 sq km

Currency: Euro (EUR)

Country Data Sources

Last updated: January 18, 2026

Portions of the page Cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo de Indias in Seville are based on data from UNESCO — World Heritage List Dataset and on text from the Wikipedia article Seville Cathedral, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes made. Additional original content by World Heritage Explorer (WHE), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. WHE is not affiliated with UNESCO or the World Heritage Committee. Legal Notice. Privacy Policy.

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