Location: Ecija
Top Things to do in Ecija
Top 10 Things to do in Ecija, Spain
Écija (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈeθixa]) is a town belonging to the province of Seville, Spain. It is located in the Andalusian countryside, 85 km east of the city of Seville. According to the 2008 census, Écija has a total population of 40,100 inhabitants, ranking as the fifth most populous city in the province. The river Genil, the main tributary of the river Guadalquivir, runs through the urban area of the city.
Restaurants in Ecija
1. Palace of Benameji
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 115 reviews
Reviewed By BennyMalaga - Malaga, Spain
The Palacio de Benameji was built in the 18th century with brick and marble. The portal is Baroque and shows movement with curves going in two directions. There are two corner towers. Today it houses the Museo Historico Municipal, a very good museum. Outstanding in the museum is a Roman mosaic tile floor with a motif of Bacchus. Ecija had many Roman palaces in the past. In the 18th century the kings were the ones who gave permission for building towers in palaces. King Carlos III passed through Ecija and stayed at the Palace of the Count of Valverde. The King was pleased and gave the count permission to build a tower. When the King returned after some time, he was surprised that the palace had two towers. He confronted the count, who responded that the King had given him permission to build one tower, but the other tower was his right because of his title and position. At least this is the legend.
2. Iglesia de los Descalzos
Overall Ratings
5 based on 39 reviews
Reviewed By Dragonsister - Australia
A very small church compared to the others, but very different and beautiful! Well worth a visit. Check with the tourist office for the opening times.
3. Plaza de Espana
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 50 reviews
Reviewed By Romario1257 - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The great things about Seville old town is that everything is walking distance so take comfortable shoes, camera, water and sunscreen product (it was sunny and 35 Celsius) and have a blast walk.
I suggest to start your tour from Plaza De Espana and continue to the Cathedral.
The Plaza is beautiful and worth visiting. The park around is nice too and fir 45 euros you can take a horse carriage to give you a tour in old city starting and returning to this spot.
Enjoy!
4. Iglesia de Santa Maria
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 39 reviews
Reviewed By BennyMalaga - Malaga, Spain
The Church of Santa Maria is located at Plaza de Santa Maria. The building dates from the 18th century and was built over an old Mudejar temple from the 16th and 17th centuries. In the plaza in front of the church is the monument to La Virgen del Valle (Our Lady of the Valley) and to St. Paul, also dating to 1766, built by Reinoso y Espinosa. The entrance to the church was designed by Antonio Matias de Figueroa, with a triumphal arch. The outside door is made of mahogany and has huge bronze nails, while the inner door has a beautiful Mudejar design. This door is one of the most outstanding church doors in Spain. The church has a rectangular design with three naves. The church tower was heavily damaged in the 1755 earthquake, but was later restored. Its design is similar to the Giralda Tower in Seville. The top of the tower containing the bells is profusely decorated with ceramic tile. There are several chapels in the church with great artistic value. The wooden choir was made by the artist Juan de Mesa. The painting of the Virgen de la Antigua was the work of Villegas Marmolejo in 1575. In the cloister there is an archaeological collection and the best piece is the marble sculpture of the head of Germanicus, from the Roman era.
5. Church of Santa Cruz
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 30 reviews
Reviewed By BennyMalaga - Malaga, Spain
The Church of Santa Cruz was built where a mosque had been located and after the Christian conquest in 1240 the new church was built. However the earthquake of 1755 damaged it and a new church in the Neoclassic style was built between 1778 and 1836. The church was left unfinished for lack of money and two naves were not constructed. There is a patio outside the church showing on the floor where the church would have been constructed if it had been completed. The church has three naves and has many Baroque altars. The main altarpiece was made in the 18th century and is one that is dedicated to the Virgen del Socorro and came from the Convento de la Concepcion de los Mercedarios. There is a Christian sarcophagus of the 5th century that is used as an altar table and it is said that it contains the remains of San Fulgencio. This sarcophagus has reliefs showing figures from the Old Testament. On the left nave is found the Chapel of the Virgen del Valle. She is the patron saint of the city and her festival is on Sept. 8.
There is a very good Museum of Sacred Art which contains a large collection of silverwork and gold vessels, paintings, sculptures, and priestly vestments. One outstanding painting is that of Christ on the Cross done by Zurbaran. In one corner is a turntable that has a very large silver monstrance and the table turns to show all the sides of this monstrance.
The image of the Virgen del Valle was made before the Arab invasion and was hidden with the remains of Santa Florentina in the wall of a convent. Legend has it that the Count of Palma Luis Portocarrero was hunting pigeons near the remains of the old convent and discovered the image of the Virgin in a wall. The image was then transferred permanently to the Church of Santa Cruz, where it is now.
Inside the church near the entrance is the statue of Ceferino Gimenez, who was a Gypsy from Barbastro. He was a good Catholic and in 1936 he defended on the street a priest who was being attacked by the Reds. The Reds arrested him and he was shot because he said he was a Catholic and would not change his faith. He has now been beatified and may become the first Gypsy saint of Spain.
6. Iglesia de San Juan
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 24 reviews
Reviewed By MarjanSonning - Sonning
We have been to this church twice. Both times there were a number of worshipers in the church (no service running) but the man who looks after the tourists pops outside, asks you to be quiet and not take any photographs and you are more than welcome to go in and soak up the atmosphere.
7. Museo Palacio de Palma
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 15 reviews
Reviewed By PPCI-BG - Italy
Questo bel palazzo barocco ha preso forma sulla base di un ex-convento. Ci sono un paio di patios piuttosto belli e si possono visitare alcune parti arredate con pezzi d’epoca. Organizzano anche vari eventi.
8. Palacio de Penaflor
Overall Ratings
4 based on 35 reviews
Reviewed By BennyMalaga - Malaga, Spain
The Palacio de Peñaflor is located at Emilio Castelar, 26, and this palace was built with a curved facade decorated with frescos, and the main doorway is very elaborate, in the Baroque style, with the coat of arms of the owners. This palace was built between 1700 and 1775 by the Marques of Peñaflor, and who lived in the palace until 1958. It was named as a Historic-Artistic Monument in 1962. The palace is called the "house of the long balconies" because the form of the palace follows the curvature of the street, with a balcony. The balconies are decorated with frescos with green and yellow colors.
9. Iglesia de Santiago
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 11 reviews
Reviewed By PPCI-BG - Italy
La chiesa risale al quindicesimo secolo in stile gotico-mudejar come si vede all’interno dagli archi. Molto interessante è il retablo maggiore che è un esempio della transizione dal gotico al rinascimento e molto elegante anche il campanile. Spicca tra le tante chiese barocche della città per la sua eleganza.
10. Palacio de Justicia
Overall Ratings
5 based on 10 reviews
Reviewed By PPCI-BG - Italy
Il Palacio de las Tomasas (dal nome dei vecchi proprietari) che adesso ospita il palazzo di giustizia è un palazzo neo-mudejar degli anni Venti ma bisogna farci un salto per ammirare il patio con la scala che è evidentemente ispirato ai decori dell’alhambra. Anche se è moderno mi ha fatto fare un salto ad altra epoca.
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