The old municipal slaughterhouse and cattle market was built between Ronda del Tamarguilllo and Ramón y Cajal Avenue, near the Cerro and Juncal neighborhoods. It is an example of living heritage that has been adapted to the past of time, adapting its original function to new educational uses developed in society.
History
Its history dates back to 1895 when the architect José Sáez designed the building commissioned by Mayor Anselmo Rodríguez de Rivas in response to the urban planning needs of the city at the end of the century. This architect arrived in Seville in 1866 to restore the cathedral and, from that year, he began to receive commissions in the city like the project of reforms of Seville where he defended the importance of public buildings.
A first proposal for the project was approved in January 1986 but in reality the works did not begin until fifteen years later after thanks to the donation of the land by the Marquis of Nervión. Finally the project was approved in August 1910 and completed in 1916. The building like others models in France and Germany.
Throughout the 20th century the building was reformed because after years of drought the rain caused flooding in the cellars.
Architecture of the Slaughterhouse
The slaughterhouse consisted of two parts:
- First part was the slaughterhouse itself, projecting its façade towards the Ramón y Cajal avenue.
- Second part destined to the live cattle market located on the back side, occupying the area where today is the Delegation of Education.
Its surface area occupied a total of 200 meters including offices, administrator’s housing and the porter’s lodge, all these buildings located in the center of the complex to give way to the 5 longitudinal warehouses two for cattle, sheep and goat herding; and three for the slaughterhouse functions. On the other hand, the part of the livestock market consisted of three pavilions with several outbuildings.
Its construction in free-standing buildings is to be valued as a modern interpretation of the hygienist theories of the 19th century, since all these spaces of the architectural complex alternate with open spaces incorporating vegetation and gardens as fundamental elements in the spatial organization of the plot.
With a cross plan where the octagonal transept stands out the building is framed in the neo-Mudejar style, with colorful tiles that cover the entire enclosure.
Curiosities
The slaughterhouse did not begin to function as such until 1921. In the memory of the project deposited next to the plan of the same one in the Municipal Archives of Seville, a budget of 1,642,863 pesetas was agreed, in addition to the machineries reason why, in the last liquidation of 1915 the total expense amounted to 2,538,503 pesetas; that would be about 15,000 euros.
The open layout of the buildings that give rise to the plant allows us to relate the old slaughterhouse to other contemporary buildings in Seville. Given that few buildings in the Andalusian capital retain such a peculiar exterior, the old municipal slaughterhouse has a degree of total municipal protection.
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At OwayTours we have the best tours in Seville follow the links for more information:
– Guided Visit to the Cathedral of Seville
