SEVILLA CIUDAD MÁGICA · MONUMENT GUIDE

CASTLE OF SAN JORGE

The remains of an Almohad fortress and the memory of the Inquisition in Triana

Beneath the present-day Triana Market lie the archaeological remains of the Castle of San Jorge, a fortress built to protect the western end of Seville's old bridge of boats and later transformed into one of the principal headquarters of the Spanish Inquisition.

Want to see more of Seville? 👉 Click here to continue

VISIT ORIGINS INQUISITION TRIANA MARKET TODAY

CURRENT VISITOR INFORMATION CAN YOU VISIT THE CASTLE?

Current situation

Archaeological site: temporarily closed to visitors.

Tourist information hall: open Monday to Sunday, 09:30–14:30.

Location: Plaza del Altozano, s/n, beneath the Triana Market.

Current access: the underground archaeological route and interpretation centre are not presently open for a normal visit.

CHECK CURRENT OFFICIAL STATUS

Important: older websites still show former opening hours for the archaeological centre. Those schedules are no longer valid. As of September 2026, Seville's official tourism information lists the archaeological site as temporarily closed, with only the tourist information hall open.

BEFORE THE INQUISITION AN ALMOHAD FORTRESS

The old article attributed the origins of the castle to the Visigothic period, but archaeological research carried out at the site does not support that interpretation. The evidence points instead to an Almohad fortress built in the first half of the 13th century.

Its strategic purpose was clear: the castle protected the western end of the Puente de Barcas, the bridge of boats that connected Seville with Triana, the Aljarafe and the routes leading west from the city.

Archaeology changed the story: excavations found no earlier Roman or pre-Almohad defensive structure beneath the castle. Before the fortress was built, part of the site had been used as an Almohad Muslim cemetery.

THE CASTLE'S DARKEST CHAPTER THE SPANISH INQUISITION

The Tribunal of the Holy Office was established in Seville in 1480. Soon afterwards, the Castle of San Jorge became its principal headquarters in the city. Sources date this transfer to 1481–1482.

The fortress was adapted to contain tribunal rooms, service areas and prison cells. For centuries it was associated with interrogations, trials and imprisonment carried out by the Inquisition.

1625–1639

Flooding and structural problems forced the tribunal to leave the castle temporarily. It later returned, so 1626 was not the final abandonment of the site.

1785

The Inquisition finally left the castle because of the continuing damage caused by floods and transferred its headquarters elsewhere in Seville.

The long association with the Holy Office turned San Jorge into one of the most important physical symbols of the Inquisition in Seville and, more broadly, in the history of the institution.

FROM FORTRESS TO MARKET THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE CASTLE

During the 19th century the remains of the old fortress were progressively demolished as the area around the Altozano was transformed. In 1823, the Triana Market was established on the site.

The modern market building still occupies the same location today, directly beside the Triana Bridge. Beneath it, however, archaeological excavations revealed substantial remains of the medieval and early modern structures.

ARCHAEOLOGY & HISTORICAL MEMORY THE SITE TODAY

Archaeological excavations carried out during the redevelopment of the market revealed walls, streets, houses, prison areas and other remains connected with the successive phases of occupation of the site.

In 2009, Seville City Council inaugurated the Castillo de San Jorge interpretation project, creating an underground route focused on the archaeology of the fortress and the history of religious repression associated with the Inquisition.

Current status: the archaeological route is not open for a normal visit at present. The building was used again for a temporary sacred-art exhibition in 2025, but the official 2026 tourism guide lists the archaeological site as temporarily closed for works. The tourist information hall remains open.

Why This Place Still Matters

San Jorge is not simply the site of a vanished castle. It preserves evidence of medieval Triana, the defence of Seville's river crossing and one of the most controversial institutions in Spanish history.

Even while the archaeological centre is closed, its location beneath the Triana Market, beside the bridge and close to the Callejón de la Inquisición, makes it an important place for understanding the historical landscape of the neighbourhood.

Last updated: September 2026

GO TO THE TOP