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Stage 1

Seville to Guillena stage

km 22,7

Time 05H 30’

Difficulty Medium

Hostels 4

Available without an Internet connection

It is advisable to reach Seville one day before starting the stage

Information about the stage 1: Seville to Guillena stage

Enlarge map

Points of interest in the stage 1: Seville to Guillena stage

11 Albergue de Guillena
10 Our Lady of Granada Parish Church
9 Arroyo de los Molinos
8 Track to Guillena
7 Roman amphitheatre of Itálica
6 Roman ruins of Itálica
5 Replica Emperor Trajan's Sculpture
4 Santiponce
3 Albergue Juvenil de Sevilla
2 Royal Alcázares
1 Cathedral of Santa Maria

The route

Km 0. Sevilla(All services)

The adventure of the Vía de la Plata, in addition to the Roman road, the pilgrimage to Santiago par antonomasia of the western peninsular begins at the gates of the Cathedral of Seville. Specifically next to the door of the Asunción, located on the Avenida de la Constitución of the Andalusian city. The first vieira guides us through Calle García de Vinuesa and we continue through the streets of Jimios, Zaragoza, Reyes Católica. In the latter we cross the Puente de Isabel II to access the popular neighborhood of Triana. We walk through the streets of San Jorge, Callao and Castilla, where the Chapel of the Puppy is located. A few meters later there is a kiosk and, on your right, a ramp and stairs through which you access the highway.

We cross and, after a roundabout, we go down to a parking lot and cross a pedestrian bridge over the Guadalquivir. There is a well-indicated alternative to go to the population of Camas or continue along a path parallel to the Guadalquivir with the indication of ‘Rio’. We choose the latter, which advances along the river “Rio Grande”, translated from Arabic. It doesn't give you time to savor it, because in just over a kilometer and a half, at the height of some ancient houses, from the 19th century and known as Cortijo de Gambogaz, the arrows leave the river and go through a left hand path. Notice this! (km 5.5)

We advance along this road, with reference to Beds and the Cerro de Santa Brígida, located on our left. You have to go under the A-66, known as the Silver Highway, a couple of times and, in between, under the railway bridge. In the distance we can already observe the structure of the Monastery of San Isidoro del Campo, Cistercian of the 14th century, located at the entrance of Santiponce.

Km 9.5. Santiponce(All services)

We can stop to see the monastery or continue for more than a mile through the village until the entrance to the Archaeological Complex of Itálica. The ruins and amphitheater of this Roman city, founded in 206 BC and cradle of the emperor Trajan, well deserve a visit. Itálica will represent for the pilgrims the first Roman milestone of the Vía de la Plata and we will continue to Mérida following the route of the road that linked this town with the mouth of the Guadiana (Km 11,3).

The stage continues through the A-8079, secondary road without arcén, where we travel a little more than a kilometer. We got to a roundabout, we crossed the N-630 and we went to La Algaba, passing by the highway. Only a few hundred meters because the arrows are diverted to the left and continue on a large service track of Emasesa (km 13.2).

It is an endless line between cotton fields, more straight than a bourbon, which after four kilometers is touched with the flow of the Arroyo de los Molinos. This is the first obstacle to this pilgrimage, and it has caused many problems for pilgrims. If it brings little water, the solution passes through it carefully. A pilgrim informs us that 5 or 10 meters before reaching the stream there is a small and narrow detour to the right that passes by the tower to cross it through a metal bar that makes a bridge. If that were also impossible to cross, we would have to take a runway to the left before the stream that takes us to the road and continue down the road to Guillena with caution.(km 17.1)

After passing the stream, with Guillena already on the horizon, we continue in a straight line along the runway. After three and a half kilometers we turn right when we reach a huge field of cultivation and two kilometers later we save the stream Galapagar flow to present us in Guillena. The Portugalete and Real streets lead to the City Hall.

Km 22.7. Guillena(All services)

The difficulties

Remarks

In images

What to see, what to do

SEVILLAConquistada
by the Roman army, under the command of Julius Caesar, received in 45 BC the Latin name of Colonia Iulia Romula Hispalis, better known as Hispalis. At that time he was unable to rival Itálica, a much older Roman colony founded in 206 BC by Publio Cornelio Escipión. Of Roman Hispalis, unfortunately, is preserved rather little. Under Islamic domination, more specifically in the middle of the 12th century under the Almohade empire, the city of Seville reaches a great splendor. From that time the city of Ibila, as the Arabs called it, still retains important constructions. These include the Golden Tower and the Alminar of the largest mosque, currently known as Giralda. In the year 1248 the city is conquered by Fernando III el Santo and the city passes to the Crown of Castile. Much of the Muslim legacy is demolished and transformed. From the beginning of the 15th century, the Cathedral of Santa Maria was built on the site of the largest mosque in the world. After the discovery of America, the Andalusian city monopolized the trade with the New World and it was necessary to build a lonja house that has become the Archivo de Indias.

A mixture between Islamic and Christian culture today invades the Cathedral environment. In the extrarradio, the Ibero-American Exhibition of 1929 has left its mark in the city with the construction, among others, of the Plaza de España and the Plaza de América. The 1992 Universal Exhibition was an unprecedented urban development and a boom in communications.

It is advisable to arrive in Seville at least one day before starting the Vía de la Plata. Although not all its monuments can be visited, at least the most important ones:
- Cathedral of Santa Maria: Compulsory visit. Declared in 1987 World Heritage Site by UNESCO, together with the Real Alcázares and the Archivo de Indias. It is located in the place occupied by an old Visigoth temple and later by the main mosque of the Almohades. The works began in the early fifteenth century and continued until the 17th century. www.cathedraldesevilla.es
- La Giralda: Located between the East Gate and the Palos Gate is one of the wonders still preserved from the Almohade mosque. The original tower, built between 1184 and 1196 and designed by Ahmed ben Baso, was 82 meters high. In 1356, an earthquake destroyed the Almohade dome of the tower and built, first a spaghetti and in the 16th century the current bell tower. The name of Giralda is given by the Giraldillo, the bronze velet that crowns the whole. It is a statue four meters high, built by José Morel in 1564, which symbolizes the faith and is balanced by the effect of the wind. Hence his name. On visiting hours you can climb the tower by paying an entrance.
- Royal Alcázares: Set of palaces and gardens that since the 10th century have been the residence of kings. Throughout the centuries each dynasty was building new dependencies according to the tastes of each and the customs of the time. As a result, a space where Islamic, Mudéjar, Gothic, Renaissance, Romantic styles are recognized, etc. The visit is worthwhile and a guide is essential to understand the evolution of over a thousand years of history. La www.patronato-alcazarseville
- Torre del Oro: Tower albarrana, of defensive function, raised in the 13th century by the almohades. It was linked by a chain to another tower located on the other side of the Guadalquivir. Its plant has twelve sides, an intermediate body of six and an upper circular plant added in the 18th century. In 1944, he became a Naval Museum.
- Plaza of Spain: Built for the 1929 Ibero-American Exhibition. It is based on Mudéjar, Gothic and Renaissance styles and occupies a diameter of 200 meters. Its originality is given by the 48 banks representing the Spanish provinces and a small creek crossed by four bridges symbolizing the four kingdoms of the Spanish crown.
ITÁLICA
After crossing Santiponce, the ruins of the Roman city of Itálica are found at kilometer 11 of the stage. Founded in 206 BC by General Publius Cornelio Escipión after the battle of Ilipa against the Carthaginians. It became the capital of Hispania Posterior and here was born the emperor Trajan and the family of Adriano. The amphitheater, which had a capacity of between 20 and 25,000 seats, stands out. It is of oval plan with a graderío arranged in three levels. In the middle is an underground pit, or animal pit, intended to hold animals before they jump into the arena. You can also visit the theater, although it is located in the urban area of Santiponce.
GUILLENAGuillena,
destination of the first stage of the Vía de la Plata, has a population over 12,000 inhabitants and is situated in the transition formed between the Guadalquivir Valley and the Sierra Norte de Sevilla. It is located on the edge of the Rivera de Huelva river and just two kilometers from the Gergal reservoir. The origin of the population may be due to a Roman settlement, owned by a certain Giulius who names this locality. In principle, under Islamic rule, it did not go from a simple agricultural area surrounded by labor houses. However, it became a fortified plaza due to urban growth. From this time are the remains of the castle, today embedded in the bullring of the town. In the mid-thirteenth century, specifically in 1.247, it was conquered by Fernando III the Santo.
- Church of Our Lady of Granada: The 15th century Mudéjar church was restored between 2002 and 2003. The week of 8 September devotes devotion to the image of the Virgen de la Granada, patron saint of Guillena.