Plaza del Salvador

23 May 2009

After two weeks here, I've finally reached a basic level of familiarity with our immediate neighborhood. The test: The Super Sol market is about a kilometer away. I can now walk directly there without getting lost on the way!

The neighborhoods that make up the heart of old Sevilla are a maze of short, narrow, winding streets that pass through channels of three-story buildings, often with a storefront on the bottom and apartments above. Among many nice features associated with the city plan, plazas may be the best.

Plazas are liberally scattered throughout the heart of Sevilla. Occupying spaces where blocks of buildings come together in an irregular fashion, they are infinitely varied in their details. But, in Sevilla, they share this important characteristic: here is where people gather for community.

Plaza del Salvador is an especially lively space about a quarter mile north of where we live. It's relatively large by Sevilla standards: about 30 x 85 paces. A narrow street that permits auto traffic borders it on the south side across the narrow dimension.



At the north end, it can be accessed by three pedestrian-only streets. The impressive Iglesia San Salvador defines most of the east side; a smaller closed church is on the western edge. About twenty businesses open their doors onto the plaza. We've enjoyed an afternoon coffee and bought a pair of dress shoes here.


Yesterday evening, a wedding took place in the Iglesia San Salvador and the wedding party entered and left by the plaza (see opening photo). A series of processions of religious floats occurred at the same time, many involving children as float bearers, as musicians, or as marchers in the procession.

In the morning, the plaza is quiet. But in the early afternoon, it is crowded with young adults enjoying a beer and a snack at a local bar.



Credit: Ingrid suggested the topic of this post and took four of the photos (numbers 4-7 from the top).