Exclusive product! Salvador Church crypts

Behold the baroque brilliance of the stunning Church of Salvador, the second biggest basilica in Seville. Often overlooked in favour of the cathedral, this collegiate church boasts a gorgeous patio of orange trees a marvellous Mudejar-Renaissance belfry and ancient crypts that reveal this to have been the site of a temple for thousands of years and thus explain so much about the city’s history.

The tour begins in the Patio of the Orange Trees, a cool and secluded courtyard surrounded by Mudejar columns, which dates from the Islamic caliphate in the ninth century. Prior to it being a mosque, it had been the site of Phoenician, Roman and Visigoth temples. As such, the Church of Salvador (the Saviour) is one of the longest continuously used places of worship in Europe.

Descend into the crypt and see how layer upon layer of civilisation has piled up here. This underground museum only came to light this century as a result of a massive restoration project. You will see Roman relics and Moorish mementos, and discover the little secret that runs through this vast vault.

Ascend into the heavenly church interior and marvel the great gilded altarpieces, see the shrine devoted to Our Lady of the Waters and admire the awe-inspiring scale of the nave and apse. Then take it all in from a different perspective with views from raised platforms before accessing the rooftop terrace to enjoy stunning panoramic vistas of the city with the cathedral and its golden Giralda dominating the skyline.

Meeting point: Church of Salvador, Plaza del Salvador.
Opening hours: From 10.30am to 9pm. Tours last about four hours.
Languages: Available in Spanish and English.

Assistance or guided tour

Admissions

Salvador church visit without guide

Appropriate age for child ticket from 0 to 17 years