NOVELTY

Sevilla founded by God

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By AndaluNet on 05/03/2018

It could not be otherwise. And so much beauty together in the city of Seville, I could not be the work of human person. If not the work of a true God. And the belief that Sevilla was founded remains a God. We will tell an old and curious story of Sevilla and its founder, full of legends.

The year 1000 A.C, the first Phoenicians arrived by sea to the Spanish coast. They came with their ships in the Mediterranean Sea from North Africa and came to the vicinity of the Bay of Algeciras where again and again stopped his journey. Fearful the start of the new sea, The Atlantic ocean, the Phoenicians did not dare to go "across" through the Strait of Gibraltar. They held the belief that "Beyond the Strait there were only darkness, World's End".

Image of the end of the world according to ancient beliefs.

Melkart, founder of Sevilla

Years passed until a brave and heroic sailor named Melkart he dared to move across the Straits in search of the Atlantic.

He reached the city of Cádiz founded with the name Gadi, He toured the Guadalquivir river mouth (Current Sanlucar de Barrameda) and rose plying the river to where it is today Sevilla. Here he founded a Phoenician trading post which he called Fire in honor of his son Híspalo, on an island he found along the river and now would be the site of the Plaza del Salvador, Fish and Plaza de la Cuesta del Salvador in the center of our beloved city.

Old map where the columns of hercules is represented

Hispalis in Phoenician language means “plain along the river”. Referring to island discovered Melkart.

When Melkart comes to Seville, It is populated by turdetanos submitted by King Gerión forcing them to abandon their religion and profess Egyptians. Melkart fight for the city of Seville and its inhabitants so his death, It is raised to the altars in classical mythology and considered a god, for both the Egyptians and Phoenicians for.

Over the years, its name was changed to Herakles, but Latinos know him as Hercules. Hence the legend that arises Seville es founded by God. A God who had "broken" the mountains linking Spain and Africa so that they could cross the Strait of Gibraltar. A God who had managed to turn the "Non Plus Ultra" (No further) al “Plus Ultra” (Beyond).

Derived from all these stories and legends, We can see the figure of Hercules in Seville landmarks. In recognition of God founder of our city. His statue is the first in the Arquillo City Hall Sevilla Mall and receives in his honor the name Alameda de Hercules.