THE GIUALDA. 203 



feet. 

 Circumference of the Dome ..... 420 



Diameter of the Ball ...... Q 



From the Ball to the top of the Cross. . . .30 



Diameter of the Columns of the Porticos ... 4 



Their height is ...... 48 



To the top of the west Pediment under the figure of St. Paul. 120 

 Height of the Tower of the west front . . .287 



It was commenced in!675, and finished by Sir Christopher Wren, the 

 chief Architect, in 1710. It cost building 1,500,000. The extent of 

 ground-plat on which it is built is 2 acres, 16 perches, 23 yards, 1 foot. 



It is built upon an eminence on the site of the ancient Gothic Cathedral 

 destroyed by the Great Fire in 1666, formed entirely of Portland Stone, 

 and in the purest style of Grecian Architecture. The general shape is 

 that of a cross. The same architect (Wren), the same mason (Strong), 

 the same Bishop (Compton), saw the first stone laid, and witnessed its 

 completion. 



THE GIRALDA SEVILLE CATHEDRAL. (6) 



The exterior of this Cathedral presents a grotesque grandeur 

 produced by the combination of three utterly different species of archi- 

 tecture. The church itself is of gothic construction, partly erected at an 

 earlier period than the eighth century. The sacristy is entirely in the 

 modern taste, while the court and garden adjoining with the thrice- 

 famous Giralda, date from the dominion of the Arabians. This wondrous 

 tower of Giralda was built towards the close of the 12th century, in the 

 reign of Jacob Almanzor, by Algeber,* a famous mathematician and 

 architect. Originally it rose to an elevation of -280 feet, and was 

 surmounted by an iron globe of prodigious size ; which, being splendidly 

 gilded, reflected, and almost rivalled the brilliancy of the sun. 

 Immediately beneath this ball was the gallery, whence the mulzzims 

 convoked the faithful to their stated devotions. The ascent of the tower 

 is effected by a spiral stairway without steps, and of such gradual 

 inclination, that a person walks up with scarce an effort, as he would 

 ascend a gentle hill. In more modern times the globe has been removed, 

 and a small tower of inferior diameter has been erected above, making 



* The first who introduced Algebra into Spain. 



