The Giralda Tower in Sevilla, a Spanish sister city to Coral Gables, bears a complex history with layers of cultural richness that date back to the 12th century. Utilizing re-purposed Roman ruins, the beautifully decorated brick structure was originally built as a minaret for the Mosque of Ibn ‘Addabas in al-Andalus in a style that was typical of the region. After being repurposed as a bell tower for the Catholic Cathedral of Sevilla, it had a 16th century addition to the top in the form of a belfry designed by renaissance architect Hernan Ruiz.

Reaching to the sky with its seemingly weightless terraces, finials, and urns of lilies, La Giralda’s distinctive figure has become a cultural and historic icon for Sevilla, Andalucia, and Spain. It has since inspired the design of numerous towers not only in Europe, but across the United States, from Madison Square Garden in New York City to the Wrigley Building in Chicago, and notably here in South Florida with local landmarks – the Freedom Tower in Downtown Miami, and the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables.

In recent years, the Cabildo of Sevilla has undertaken a lengthy and complex intervention to care for this World Heritage Site. Under the direction of Architect Eduardo Martinez Moya, new research and documentation expanded the knowledge of the tower’s physical conditions and paved the way for a methodical restoration – wall by wall – by Kalam, a Madrid-based specialty contractor with a broad team of craftsmen in an array of traditional building arts. With the completion of the final phase in 2024, the Cabildo continues the work of disseminating the findings and the process for their community and the greater public.