Seville wasn’t even on our list at first. The idea came from a loved one, and after months of Leen spiraling through every possible wedding venue on the planet (quite literally), this one just felt right. We’d never been, but the look, the story, and the energy of it all made sense.

Our first trip to another venue in a different country didn’t exactly work out, so arriving in Seville was instant relief. It felt alive in a way that’s hard to explain. We hope you’re as excited as we are, and to set the mood, here’s a bit about the city and the history that makes it unlike anywhere else.

Seville’s Arab past began in the early 8th century, when Muslim forces from North Africa entered the Iberian Peninsula and established Al-Andalus. Under Arab and Berber rule, Seville grew into one of the most important cities in the region. It became a center of trade, science, and art, connected to cities like Damascus, Cairo, and Marrakech through shared language and culture.

During this period, architecture became the city’s greatest storyteller. Builders developed what we now call Andalusi style, defined by intricate tilework, horseshoe arches, carved stucco, and courtyards designed around fountains and gardens. Homes were built inward, protecting privacy while creating calm spaces filled with air, shade, and running water. Geometry and symmetry replaced excess, and beauty was found in precision and balance.

When Christian forces reconquered Seville in the 13th century, they found a city so beautiful that they barely touched it. Instead of erasing what had been built, they absorbed it. Mosques became churches, palaces remained palaces, and the architectural language of Al-Andalus continued under new rulers. The Alcázar, for example, was expanded by Christian kings who hired Muslim craftsmen to preserve its character. This mix of cultures created what is known as Mudéjar architecture, Christian buildings made with Arab techniques and aesthetics.

Over time, Seville’s identity became inseparable from that blend. Even the city’s decorative tiles, known as azulejos (from the Arabic al-zulayj, meaning “polished stone”), carried forward centuries of Arab craftsmanship. The patterns seen across southern Spain today, in homes, churches, and courtyards, trace directly back to the artistic traditions of Al-Andalus.

So while history shifted, the art stayed. The Christian rulers may have changed the faith of the city, but they could not bring themselves to change its face. The result is Seville as we know it, a living monument to centuries of coexistence, where Arab influence did not fade but became the foundation of what followed.

Join us in celebrating our love in a place built on harmony between different worlds. A city where beauty came from balance, and where cultures did not cancel each other out but shaped something greater together. In a way, it feels like the perfect setting to start the rest of our life together, surrounded by history that has always found strength in connection.