Costurero de la Reina facts for kids
The Costurero de la Reina is a special building in Seville, Spain. Its name means "The Queen's Sewing Box." It was built a long time ago, in the late 1800s. You can find it in the beautiful gardens of the Palace of San Telmo, which are now part of the Maria Luisa Park.
This building looks like a small, unique castle. It has six sides and little towers at each corner. It was first used as a guard house or a quiet place to relax in the garden. It's also special because it's the oldest building in Seville built in the neomudéjar style. This style mixes old Spanish and Islamic art.
Many people believe the building got its name because Mercedes of Orléans, who was going to marry King Alfonso XII of Spain, used to sew there. But this is just a story! The building was actually built in 1893, and Queen Mercedes had already passed away in 1878. Its real name is the "Pavilion of San Telmo."
Today, the Costurero de la Reina is a helpful place for visitors. The ground floor has a tourist information office. You can visit it on weekdays from 9 AM to 2 PM and from 3:30 PM to 7:30 PM. On weekends and holidays, it's open from 10 AM to 2 PM. The building was fixed up in 2007 to make it better. The top floor is now used for meetings and events by the local government.
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History of the Queen's Sewing Box
In the 1800s, Antoine of Orléans, who was a duke, lived in the Palacio de San Telmo in Seville. This palace is now where the government of Andalusia works. The duke made the huge palace gardens look very romantic and beautiful.
In 1893, a small tower was built in the gardens near the Guadalquivir river. This tower was for the guards. The architect who designed it was Juan Talavera and de la Vega. This tower became the Costurero de la Reina. It was the very first building in Seville to use the Neo-Mudéjar style, which you can see in its large, Arabic-style windows.
After the Duke of Montpensier died in 1890, his wife, Luisa Fernanda of Bourbon, gave most of the palace gardens to the city of Seville in 1893. These gardens then became the famous María Luisa Park. The little castle and a small part of the garden around it were kept separate. Later, other buildings in the Neo-Mudéjar style, like the Plaza de España, were built nearby for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929.
Tourist Information at the Costurero
The Costurero de la Reina is now home to the Tourist Information Office for the City Council. This means it's a great place for people visiting Seville to get maps and advice.
The office is open from 9 AM to 7:30 PM on weekdays. On weekends and holidays, it welcomes visitors from 10 AM to 2 PM. You can find more information on the Turismo de Sevilla website.
Besides the tourist office on the ground floor, the first floor is used for tourism administration. The unique look of the Costurero de la Reina even inspired the design of the entrance gate for the Seville Fair in 2008!
The Legend of Queen Mercedes
There's a famous story about the Costurero de la Reina. It's true that in 1878, Maria de las Mercedes of Orléans, the daughter of the Duke of Montpensier, married King Alfonso XII of Spain. She became the Queen of Spain.
The legend says that Queen María de las Mercedes, who was not very healthy, spent a lot of time in the castle. She would sit in the sun and sew with her friends. The story also says that King Alfonso XII would ride his horse from the Alcázar of Seville to visit her there after finishing his royal duties.
However, this story cannot be true. The Costurero de la Reina was built in 1893, but Queen Mercedes died much earlier, in 1878. So, she never actually visited or sewed in this building. It's a nice legend, though!
Images for kids
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The Costurero de la Reina in 2015
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The building from a different angle in 2016
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Another view of the Costurero de la Reina in 2016
See also
In Spanish: Costurero de la Reina (Sevilla) para niños
