The Palace of San Telmo is a Seville historical building that once housed the University of Navigation or the University for Navigators, for the education of sailors, but also a school where children who were orphans were educated. Today, this is the headquarters of the representative office of the Andalusian Autonomous Government.
The construction of the palace began in 1682. The Palace of San Telmo is an example of Baroque architecture. The baroque chapel inside the palace was built by the architect Leoardo de Figueroa, but other famous Spanish sculptors, stone carvers, painters and fresco painters took part in it, who further beautified the palace and the chapel and gave it importance. In the chapel, you can see Our Lady of Good Air, i.e. "Nuestra Senora del Buen Aire", which was made in the 17th century. The main facade (front facade) of the palace is decorated with the main entrance from 1754, which bears the name "Churriqueresque".
The main entrance is a masterpiece of the Figuaro family, i.e. Matias and Antonio, and the cost of building the main entrance at that time was 50,000 pesos. There are three pillars on each side of the main door. The beautiful balcony at the main entrance is supported by Atlantis, supports sculpted in the shape of a man. The female figures, of which there are 12 in total, represent nautical art and science. There you can also see the statues of St. Thelma - the patron saint of sailors, as well as the statues of the patrons of the city of Seville - St. Ferdinand and St. Hermenegild. On the facade of the palace you can also see the statues of 12 famous people from Seville. These figures are a masterpiece of the sculptor Antonio Susil from 1895.
The famous figures on the facade are: the sculptor Juan Martínez, the general captain and Marquis of Cádiz Rodrigo Ponce de Leon, the painter Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez, the knight and founder of the Hospital of Seville Miguel Manara, the writer Lope de Rueda and the poet Fernando de Herrera, Luiz Daoiz military officer, humanist Benito Arias, painter Bartolome Murillo, Duke of Alcala Fernando Afan de Ribera. There is also a statue of the monk Bartolomeo de la Casas and Bishop Ciapas from Mexico, he is the patron saint of all Indians. Only three of the 12 were born Sevillians, and the rest, as they like to say in Seville, were "adopted Sevillians". The entrance to these buildings is actually the most impressive part, but also the history of its creation from the 17th century.
Working hours
Monday-Friday from 09:00h to 19:00h
Saturday and Sunday closed.
Ticket price
As part of organized city tours with a local tourist guide, it is possible to visit this beautiful building
Tour prices range from EUR 5.00 to EUR 50.00 per person, depending on whether it is a walking tour that includes a tour of the San Telmo Palace, or a tour by bicycle or electric scooter.
Author of the text:
Maja Glavaš, Bachelor with Honours in Communicology. Works in Tourism.
Contact: [email protected]; instagram: travel_europe1
