Images of the Disappeared Puerta Real in Seville

Abstract

During the sixteenth century, Seville experienced a great flourishing due to the monopoly of trade with the Americas. It was consequently decided to renew the architectural image of the gates of the walled city so that their appearance would be in keeping with the new era. Their design followed a report issued in 1560 by the prestigious architect Hernán Ruiz II, author of the fine Renaissance finial of the Giralda tower of the Cathedral. The Royal Gate-(Puerta Real, also named Puerta de Goles) located near the river port-was completely renovated between 1560 and 1566. It had been known as the Royal Gate since King Philip II entered Seville through it in 1570. The gate subsequently appeared in important urban images by Bambrilla (1585), Janssonius (1617), Olavide (1771), Ford (1830–1833), and in a valuable photograph by Masson (c. 1858). In 1864, the Royal Gate was demolished and just one side of the city wall hosting a commemorative stone is preserved nowadays. By collecting its historical portrayals and analysing its urban environment, this research provides a virtual reconstruction of this unique Renaissance work. To this end, the dimensions of the preserved archaeological remains had been obtained with Masson’s photograph, digitally processed, as foundation. Auxiliary geometric lines were used as references and both the Book of Architecture by Hernán Ruiz II and the treatise by Sebastiano Serlio as guidelines to define details. A photomontage of the gate in its current urban environment completes the reproduction, aiming to underline its great heritage importance.