Although some protests by the neighbours have surrounded the project since its conception, the works by the University of Seville to build a new library in a location close to its main building (in the Prado de San Sebastián) continue. The building, designed by British Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid, its 10,499 m² will host library and reading rooms, an exhibition hall and a conference centre.

We have found a complete description of the project in the VANGUARQ website, where we can read that the library will have room for 20,000 books and 600 readers. The building, designed with a characteristic horizontal shape, will measure 160 metres wide and will contain three levels in height.

More info and a collection of spectacular rendered images are available at the Zaha Hadid’s blog.

Any  new visitor to Seville must for sure notice that the narrow Santa Cruz streets and alleys are full of history (and stories) everywhere, as they belong to one of the oldest and most significant quarters in the city.

As an example, we’ll tell you only one of the numerous oral traditions that has a factual basis, the legend of Susona, the daughter of the 15th century Sevillan Jewish merchant Diego Susón. In the very last years of the multicultural medieval Spain, the power of Jewish community was targeted by the nascent Christian bourgeoisie. Susona, the trader’s daughter, was popular for her beauty among Sevillans of the time. This popularity led her to start a romance with a young Christian patrician.

One night, when she awaited the night’s silence to meet her lover, she witnessed the celebration of a Jewish-Muslim conspiracy meeting against the increasing Christian oppression. Fearing her beloved one being in danger, she later confessed her father’s plans to him.

Tragedy had just started when the young Christian warned the authorities about the imminent rebellion, causing every involved person being executed. Susona was then rejected by both her lover and her family, as a reprisal for her disloyalty and her responsability in her father’s execution.

No much more is known about the rest of Susona’s life, apart from her testament expressing her wish to have her head hung forever above her old home front door after her death, so everyone would know that a traitor had once lived there. In fact, her will was respected for more than a hundred years. Nowadays, a tile remembers the exact place where the story took place and, besides, the old Death Street has been renamed to Susona Street.

It must sound odd for some of Seville. The Blog’s readers, but kidneys in sherry are a popular delicatessen in our city. There is even a very funny song by Sevillans O’Funk’Illo titled exactly like today’s tapa: ‘Riñones al Jerez’, though in this case the sherry-seasoned kidneys were the song author’s (”tengo los riñones al jerez, de tanto beber, tanto beber…” ;)).

Let’s get to it. In case you’re far from Seville, or feel like getting to the kitchen to have the Sevillan cooking experience, pay attention to today’s tip. Here’s what you need for preparing this recipe:

- 1/2 kg of pig kidneys

- 1 small onion

- 1 garlic clove

- 10 cl sherry wine

- flour, sweet paprika, salt, parsley

- 10 cl of water

First of all, clean and chop the kidneys and place them in a saucepan. Cover them with water, add a little salt and boil them for about 10 minutes. After they’ve released their liquid, put them in a bowl and wash them again in cold water. You’ll now have perfectly cleaned the kidneys.

Aside, start heating the olive oil in a saucepan. Add the chopped onion and fry it until the little pieces become transparent. Then add the kidneys and stir for five minutes. Add then half a tablespoon of sweet paprika, a tablespoon of flour, the 10 cl of water (that would be half a glass), the diced garlic glove and a little parsley. Keep stirring while it cooks for another five minutes and then add the sherry wine. You can serve them with some chips (as you can see in the picture above, by BocaDorada) or bread slices… perfect for diping in the sauce.

As you’ve seen, preparing ‘riñones al jerez’ is easy, delicious and original. ¡Buen provecho!

No matter where you are going in the city, if you walk around for a few minutes you will for sure see this emblem more than twice. Although the concept of a ‘logotype’ was invented as recently as in the 20th century, this NO8DO sign has been used in Seville since the late 13th century. But… what are the origins and meaning of this 700-year-old logo?

According to the most widely spread explanation, the king Alfonso X, known as ‘the Wise’ for his devotion to art and science -and his support of a primitive sort of multiculturalism and tolerance towards muslim and jewish populations and cultures-, designed and granted the city with the symbol after fighting with his son Sancho for the royal rights to the Kingdom of Castille.

After the premature death of Alfonso’s legitimate inheritor Fernando, Sancho tried to usurp the throne supported by Castillan aristocracy. He ultimately won the battle and become king Sancho IV. However, a few cities remained loyal to Alfonso X, among which Seville was the most important. This is why the king designed and presented the city this well-known symbol.

The NO8DO symbol at Seville tram, by juanarcos / Flickr

Its meaning is, probably, the most interesting aspect of the rebus. Although we might think the character in the middle is an eight or the infinite sign, it is in fact a skein of yarn, which is called a ‘madeja’ in Spanish. So, if we read all the elements, we’d say ‘No madeja do’, a phrase that is phonetically very similar to ‘No me ha dejado’, meaning ‘It has not abandoned me’. Seville had not abandoned the king during his last battle and, in fact, the king has not abandoned the city either, as he was buried in the Cathedral after his death in 1284.

Although temperatures are still high in the city (around 30ºC, 86ºF during daytime), fall is coming to Seville and it’s time to get some new clothes, to fill the fridge after your holidays and, why not… it’s also a good time to go to the cinema and have some sandwiches or a fast-food menu afterwards. Right now you’re thinking about a shopping centre. So are we.

Plaza de Armas façade from inside, by basswulf / Flickr

But this time, there’s somewhere different to go. Right in the city centre, very close to the main bus station and to the Guadalquivir, you can find the Plaza de Armas shopping centre (’centro comercial’). It’s an impressive building, erected in 1901 with a distinctive neomudejar style, very influenced by the muslim heritage, to become the railway station for the northern destinations.

Plaza de Armas neomudejar, iron façade, by Nono Fotos / Flickr

After Santa Justa station was built in 1992, Plaza de Armas was completely renovated to become “the most charming shopping centre in the city”. Apart from several restaurants and shops, it hosts a supermarket, a cinema multiplex with 3D capabilities and a car park. Oh, and they have, of course, a corporate website, available at ccplazadearmas.com