Having ruled Spain for centuries – up to nearly 800 years in some parts – it comes as no surprise that the Muslim culture had a lasting effect on Spanish architecture. Even when the Moorish empire fell to the forces of the Catholic kings Fernando and Isabel, the typical Muslim architectural forms lived on through the Mudéjar style. Mudéjar architecture, created by Muslims living in Spain under Christian rule, incorporated the Muslim styles into Spanish architecture and continued to do so right up through the 18th century.
In Sevilla, you can find the two most important examples of buildings with Moorish influences located conviently side by side: the Giralda and the sprawling Alcázar. You can easily pick out the Moorish elements, such as the lobed and horseshoe-shaped arches, the peaceful courtyards, the ornately carved ceilings, and the repetition of geometric and nature-based designs, that give buildings in Sevilla an exotic touch.
