The Torre del Oro: Does It Look Like Gold, Is It Made of Gold, or Does It Hold the Gold?

Three Sections, Twelve Sides, and a Name No One Can Fully Explain

When you take in the postcard view of Seville from Triana, a tower stands out on the left bank of the Guadalquivir that fires the imagination. What was it built for? Why do we call it the Torre del Oro? Three questions are all it takes to begin untangling centuries of history, legends, and miracles.

Beside the Real Maestranza, standing close to forty metres tall, rises this beautiful detached tower that once defended Seville from enemies approaching by river. There were many of them and of very diverse origin: it still surprises us to recall that the Vikings once rowed their longships up the Guadalquivir to attack the city.

The Enigma of the Name

To this day no one knows exactly where the name comes from. For a long time it was thought that the tower was clad in golden tiles that, glinting in the sun, made it look like gold. There is some basis for this: on the upper section you can still see tiles of that colour. But the upper cylindrical section was built in the 18th century, so that can’t be the original reason.

Others point to the tower being covered in a layer of lime and pressed straw that gave it that characteristic hue, even more so when reflected in the river. And there is a third hypothesis: the tower, which has served as a defensive bastion, a church, and a prison, may also have guarded part of Seville’s gold thanks to its strength and privileged position.

In the end, what matters is that it has come down to us in magnificent condition, even though it has suffered constant battering from the very beginning of its existence.

Three Sections, Twelve Sides, and a Wind

The first, dodecagonal section was commissioned around 1220 by the Almohad governor of Seville and reaches about twenty metres. The second, also dodecagonal but smaller, was added by Pedro I in the 14th century. The third, cylindrical, dates from the 18th century, as already mentioned.

The twelve-sided shape is so unusual for the Arab world that it has given rise to the most poetic hypothesis: the Torre del Oro would be a Muslim interpretation of the classical theme of the “Tower of the Winds,” with each side oriented to a different wind.

It has always been shrouded in legend. One of the most persistent is that a thick chain linked this tower to the Torre de la Fortaleza in Triana, to block the passage of enemy ships. A glance at the coat of arms of Santander or Cantabria — the first Christian conquerors were Cantabrians, under the orders of Ferdinand III — is enough to suspect the legend has some basis, even if science rejects it. What is certain is that a wall linked it to the Torre de la Plata, now almost vanished.

If you want to learn about more monuments in the city, see our complete guide to Seville with all the practical information.

On the Verge of Disappearing

The tower has survived by a whisker. Its demolition was proposed several times: after the Lisbon earthquake, when it was badly damaged, and during the Revolution of 1868, when the city wall was dismantled and the tower put up for sale. On every occasion it was the people of Seville themselves who, through protests — even before the king — prevented the tower from suffering any harm. And in every case they managed to turn the process around and secure permits and money for its restoration.

Since 1936 it has housed a naval museum where you can see old instruments, engravings, and historical documents about Seville’s relationship with its river and, in turn, with the sea.

Now, when you stand gazing at this monument, remember that you can imagine a story. And that this story may well be the truest one of all.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you go up the Torre del Oro?

Yes. A visit to the Naval Museum includes access to the upper terrace, from which there are beautiful views of the Guadalquivir and Triana. Entry costs a few euros and is usually free on Mondays.

Why is it twelve-sided?

There’s no absolute certainty, but the most widespread theory is that it is an Almohad interpretation of the classical “Tower of the Winds,” with each of the twelve sides facing a different wind.

Was it really covered in gold?

No. The most credible hypotheses point to a golden sheen coming from a mixture of lime and pressed straw that, reflected in the river, produced that effect. The golden tiles on the upper part were added in the 18th century.