EThere is a place in Andalusia that transports you to Ancient Rome, to Imperial Spain, and to one of the most genuine Holy Week celebrations. It's called Carmona and it's 30 kilometres from Seville.
Carmona is one of the Crossroads where several Spanish Cultural Routes converge: the Vía de la Plata Route, the Roman Baetica Route, the Routes of Emperor Charles V, and the Pathways of Passion.
Through the large door: the Alcázar
Few monuments better illustrate the essence of Spain's Cultural Routes than this defensive building, whose origins date back to the 8th century BC. Why? Because it brushes against thirty centuries of history (and stories); within its stones, one can trace the achievements of almost all the peoples who have contributed to its greatness, such as the Tartessians, Carthaginians, Romans, Muslims, and Christians. One doesn't need to excavate or be an architect to recognise the merits of each, from the bossed ashlar stones of the Carthaginian period to the Roman semi-circular arches, and including the medieval reforms by the Muslims, who gifted us beautiful horseshoe arches.
The Roman Emperor Caesar said of Carmona that it was “the strongest city in Baetica during antiquity”, largely due to the power of this Alcázar. He wasn't wrong, although it was a powerful earthquake in the 18th century, the one in ‘distant’ Lisbon, that almost destroyed it. Today, the alcázar offers one of the best panoramic views of the city, its army of towers and bell towers, and the Carmona plain. Selfie lovers should take note.
Tapas: Instructions for Use
After a little bite of history, it's worth having a bite of food and a drink. In Carmona, tapas (that miniature cuisine that is ideal for accompanying a glass of wine or a pint at any time of day) are a very serious matter, with competitions, tributes, and events like the ‘tapa month’ held in December dedicated to them. The ideal place to start a tapas tour (or to start the day with toast with Andalusian extra virgin olive oil) could well be the central Plaza de Abastos, the Plaza de San Fernando (popularly known as ‘la de Arriba’), or the streets of the historic centre where the activity flows.
Gastrocarmona
What to eat? Carmona's gastronomy is (very) famous for the vegetables grown in the market gardens surrounding the town. Especially in the warmer months, you shouldn't forget to try cold soups such as *salmorejos* (although the dish has its origins in Córdoba); sample classics from bars across Spain (croquettes, meatballs, toasties…); witness how well fish from nearby ports is prepared (tuna, prawns or cuttlefish), delight in the most exquisite cuts of pork such as *presa* and *secreto*, essential offal dishes like trotters, or typically Andalusian preserved foods ‘in earthenware jars’. Furthermore, it would be a mistake not to sample two of the most exquisite raw ingredients (table olives or the ubiquitous extra virgin olive oil derived from them) in their simplest preparations: the former accompanied by a glass of wine or a *caña* (a short glass of no more than 20 cl) of beer, and the latter on a piece of good toast.
Pepe in church
Now that there's a lot of talk about perreo, a dog is famous in Carmona. So much so that they've even sculpted it in stone so the town doesn't forget it. The animal in question is called Pepe Chamorro and can be found in the repertoire of gargoyles at the church of Santa María, the city's largest temple. Construction started in the 16th century in the Gothic style and was carried out, at a steady pace, over subsequent years. The aforementioned sculpture is a modern work (the result of a restoration carried out at the end of the 20th century) that recalls a much-loved stray dog of the era. But one must not allow this anecdote to overshadow the importance of Santa María, its immense naves, the dazzling main altarpiece, the delicate pieces of silverware on display, the coloured lights that stream through its stained-glass windows, or the welcoming Patio de los Naranjos. This courtyard is a sibling to that of Seville Cathedral and serves as a reminder that this church was a Muslim mosque before it was a Christian temple (and it was precisely here that the ablution courtyard was located).
An emperor was here
Charles V frequented the northern half of Spain during his lifetime (he often disembarked on the Cantabrian coast during his travels from Flanders) but ventured south very little. One of these rare occasions was for his wedding to Isabella of Portugal when, after their marriage in Seville Cathedral, they embarked on a journey to Granada to celebrate their honeymoon. Their first stop was in Carmona, located just XX kilometres from the Andalusian capital, where they spent a couple of days before continuing their journey to Córdoba, as if they were any other modern-day tourists. If you want to know more about the walks and routes Charles V took through Spain, here You have all the necessary information.
Carmona rhymes with Roma
Surely in those days of the 16th century Charles V would have passed near the Roman Necropolis of Carmona, but there was a problem: it wouldn't be discovered and unearthed until much later, well into the 19th century. The great emperor, the most powerful man of his time, missed out on a tourist experience that, today, any history lover or curious traveller can enjoy. This cemetery was created (and used) twenty centuries ago by the Romans settled in this corner of present-day Andalusia. Subsequently, it was forgotten, buried (what a paradox) by the passage of time and discovered (and unearthed) by an English archaeologist. The site is, today, a magical space, a living open-air archaeological site where much has been found (coins, jewels, perfumes, toys, mosaics, statues, or frescoes), it holds prodigious tombs like that of the Elephant and will continue to offer surprises as archaeological work has not finished. Next to the necropolis is the amphitheatre, a work of art carved into the very ground where gladiators and wild beasts fought. The Necropolis is one of the many infrastructures built by the Roman colony, which was one of the main cities of the Baetic Province, where, among many other things, the great motorway linking the south to the north of the peninsula was officially opened: The Silver Route.
Holy Week
Carmona is one of the stages of the route Paths of Passion that runs through the main festivities of Holy Week in the heart of Andalusia. The old town itself forms part of the backdrop to this religious festival in which the main characters (the floats, the brotherhoods, the citizens and visitors) disperse through streets, alleyways, squares and historic monuments to contemplate the religious processions. It's as if the contents of the churches are emptied to turn the city into a great open-air temple where the gospels are narrated. The festival also has many intangible elements that no photograph can capture: the night-time silences, the aromas of incense, the high-pitched singing of the cornets or the dry sound of the knocker that governs the movements of the step-carriers. A curiosity: during Holy Week in Carmona, the procession known as the Señor de la Amargura, a Gothic carving dated 1521, is considered the oldest religious float in Andalusia. If you visit Carmona in the months leading up to Holy Week, it's not uncommon to come across members of the brotherhoods rehearsing in the streets of the old town after their workday: they wear everyday clothes and the floats don't yet carry the religious carvings, but the silence and majesty are the same as on the most devout days of the year.
Farewell: The Giraldilla
Carmona is barely thirty kilometres from Seville, making it difficult to resist the Andalusian capital's charm. The Patio de los Naranjos isn't the only similarity between this town and its bigger sister: the church of San Pedro boasts a bell tower popularly known as ‘La Giraldilla’ due to its resemblance (albeit on a smaller scale) to the Almohad tower of the cathedral.
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