Seville's renowned attraction, its Alcazar (or castle), is the oldest royal residence in Europe still in use, built in 1364.

The spectacularly decorated palace has undergone a number of expansions, having first been build as a fortress in 913 AD, enduring a number of rebuilds by successive Muslim rulers before Catholic kings took over the site in the 14th century.

Adorned with the luxurious ornamentation that one might expect of a regal residence, the Spanish royal family sojourns here on their visits to the southern Spanish city.

As a result of the number of kings who have made this their home, there are a range of artistic influences in the building itself, with the largely Islamic style contrasting with Charles V's gothic additions.

The palace is also home to extensive, stunning gardens as well as the rainwater tanks of the Baths of Lady Maria de Padilla.

Film director Ridley Scott used the building's paved courtyard as a set for the court of the King of Jerusalem for his movie Kingdom of Heaven.