La Alameda, Seville
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Alameda de Hércules is a promenaded and the largest public space within the historic center of Seville. It is located between the river Guadalquivir and the Macarena neighborhood.
Contents |
[edit] History
The Alameda's history began when the lower arm of the river Guadalquivir which once reached from the Alameda, crossing Plaza Nueva, and eventually ending in the district of Arenal, was cut off by a damn in 1383. While the damn cut off the river it left a swampy wetland due to frequent rises in the river. [1]
In 1574, the Count of Barajas further diverted the water by building irrigation channels and fountains and planting lines of trees. In 1578 four columns were placed to mark off the promenade which had been found in the remains of a Roman temple dedicated to Hercules which once stood in that part of the city on Mármoles street. On two of the columns statues were placed one of Julius Caesar (referred to as the restorer of Hispalis – the latin name for Seville) and one of Hercules (who according to legend was the founder of Seville). In the second half of the eighteenth century two more statues, lions with shields representing Seville and Spain were placed on the remaining columns at the other end of the promenade.
Despite the damn and irrigation channels the Alameda remained one of the most flooded areas of the city because of its proximity to the river and it's low elevation. For example in 1649 the fateful year of the Great Plague of Seville it was reported that the Alameda was so flooded that people were navigating it on boats.[2]
In 1878 the pedestals of the columns were protected from the public by gates. In 1885 a marble fountain was placed near the lion's columns which was popularly known as la Pila del Pato (the duck pile) which, in the sixteenth century, was located in the Plaza de San Francisco behind the city counsel. It was later moved again and can now be found in the Plaza de San Leandro.
In the late nineteenth century the Alameda was at its height having been converted into a promenade filled with theaters and kiosks and having become a social center for the city's upper classes. All of this changed after the Spanish_civil_war.[3]
In the 20th century, La Alameda lost its genteel appeal and sunk progressively into disrepute, often cited as an area troubled by prostitution and drug use. According to data from 1989 the area was once home to as many as 35 brothels.[4]
[edit] Today
The latter part of the century once again saw a change and the neighborhood is now known to be clean and desirable.
In 2006 the traditionally dirt-covered promenade was torn up and in December of 2008 the construction was officially complete. The renovation restricted vehicular traffic, removed the gates which protected the four historic columns, and added a number of kiosks, benches, and tress along the promenaded. A rainwater reservoir was also installed in the center of the Alameda on the site of the failed Metro Station Project of 1977. The reservoir is popularly known as the Pozo de las Tormentas (Well of Thunderstorms) and is used to source a number of newly installed fountains.[5]
The neighborhood is now known as a center for alternative, "hippy", and bohemian culture. Many of its venues host independent music performers and its many bars and cafes cater to those identifying with these sectors or who simply enjoy the aesthetic. It is one of the key nightlife centers of Seville, and particularly of the historical center.
[edit] Buildings
An important structure found along the Alameda is the Casa de las Sirenas a twentieth century palace that is used today as a civic center hosting expositions, workshops, classes, and cultural activities for the neighborhood.
Also quite close to the Alameda on the street dedicated to the Count of Barajas (Conde de Barajas) can be found the house where the romantic writer Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer was born.
[edit] See also
[edit] Referencias
- ^ Guillermo Vázquez Consuegra, Guía de arquitectura de Sevilla. Junta de Andalucía, Consejería de Obras Públicas y Transportes ISBN 84-87001-94-7
- ^ Antonio Domínguez Ortiz, Los extranjeros en la vida española durante el siglo XVII y otros artículos. Diputación de Sevilla ISBN 84-88603-24-X
- ^ http://www.diariodesevilla.es/article/sevilla/108024/aquella/alameda/hercules.html
- ^ http://www.elpais.com/articulo/sociedad/ANDALUCiA/mitad/prostitutas/toxicomanas/Sevilla/portadoras/virus/SIDA/elpepisoc/19890108elpepisoc_6/Tes/
- ^ http://www.diariodesevilla.es/article/sevilla/308498/la/alameda/se/estrena/sin/rematar.html
[edit] Bibliography
- LEÓN VELA, José (2000). La Alameda de Hércules y el centro urbano de Sevilla: hacia un reequilibrio del casco antiguo. Sevilla. Editorial: Universidad de Sevilla. Colección: Serie Arquitectura. ISBN 84-472-0584-3
[edit] External links
Coordinates: 37°23′55.77″N 5°59′38.88″W / 37.398825°N 5.9941333°W
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Alameda de Hércules |
|
|||||
