Tower of the Giralda at Seville

The Giralda tower is one of the most important structures to survive from the medieval city of Seville. Begun in 1184 by the architect Ahmad Ben Baso, it was originally intended as a minaret and only later converted to a bell tower for the Cathedral of Seville following the Reqonquista of the city by the Christians in 1248. The lower two thirds of the structure are characteristic of architecture from the Almohad period of Seville, whilst the upper section is Spanish Renaissance.