A piece of the Roman Empire in the heart of Seville

Seville is an unique city, thatʼs for sure. However, not many people would expect to stumble upon a set of astonishing roman columns in the middle of the city centre. Unfortunately, they are not incredibly popular, and many people might pass by without even noticing they are there.

This rather particular monument is located in Mármoles Street (San Bartolomeʼs neighbourhood), just a couple minutes away by foot from the main streets of the city. The columns are about 9 metres of height and made of egyptian granite. They were built in the first or second century, during the time that Emperor Hadrian was in power of the Roman Empire.

Other landmarks such as Itálica or the aqueduct (Avenida Luis Montoto) are also vestiges of the strong roman presence in Seville.

These columns were initially thought to have been part of a religious temple. However, this theory has recently been put in doubt due to its characteristic morphology and disposition. Most probably, they were part of some kind of public building, such as a commemorative arch. In the 6th century, these columns were used to build a church.

Currently, there are only 3 columns in this street, even though there were originally 6.
One of them was lost during an unsuccesful attempt to transfer it to the Alcazar by the king Pedro I. It never made it to its destination, and what happened to it still remains unknown.

The other 2 columns, are way more popular. They were moved to the Alameda in 1574, and have been there ever since. In addition, they were later modified. Corinthian capitals and a pair of sculptures of Julius Caesar and Hercules were included.They are located in the entrance of the Alameda. The other 2 columns we can find in the north part of the Alameda, with lion sculptures, are from a different century.
In conclusion, Seville is full of history. You can find signs of it everywhere you look around, and monuments like this are waiting out there to be discovered. Definitely, this one is not to be missed.

Alameda

Translation: Pepe Cabezas