About Museo de Bellas Artes.

The Museo de Bellas Artes de Sevilla [Museum of Fine Arts of Seville] is an amazing repository of culture in Seville. It showcases invaluable Spanish visual arts of several centuries and displays superb works from the Golden Age of the Sevillian painting by famous artists such as Velázquez & Murillo. This place will remind you of its collection of Renaissance and Baroque art. The building was originally the Convento de la Merced Calzada de la Asunción and dedicated to the Virgin Mary of Mercy. Designed by Juan de Oviedo, construction took place between 1600 and 1612. The convent was built around a series of courtyards all of which were incorporated into the redesign as an art museum in 1839. Three of these courtyards deserve a few moments of your time: Claustro Mayor (the main cloister), Claustro de Los Bojes (note the beautiful Tuscan arches) and Claustrilla (the small yard). 

The main façade and doorway of the museum are from the original convent’s structure as is the ceiling in one of the main rooms. The façade is dominated by a central Baroque porch decorated with spiral columns and a statue of Our Lady of Mercy crowned with a broken pediment. Inside is the magnificent domed ceiling, painted in the 18th century by Domingo Martinez, who also painted the Palace of San Telmo. Look up at the amazing ceiling composed of many sections all containing images of the Virgin of Mercy, San Pedro Nolasco, founder of the order during the reign of King Ferdinand III of Castile, and King James I of Aragón. 

Different pieces of architecture taken from various convents in Seville adorn the main entrance. There is also a church situated at the far end of the museum which today serves as a gallery devoted to Murillo; it is listed as Room V on the museum map. The Seville Museum of Fine Art's collection has come together over its history, thanks mainly to ecclesiastical items that have been sold off, private donations and public acquisitions. It has numerous rooms where you can see brilliant works by artists such as El Greco, Pacheco, Velázquez and Alonso Cano, amongst others. In the exhibition, special mention should be made of the area dedicated to Murillo and to the Seville school of the 17th century. Also outstanding are the religious paintings by Zurbarán. Take a trip through the history of Spanish painting in this beautiful building. It is truly a treasure trove for anyone interested in art.


 

Must See

  • Highlights of the museum include the “Virgin of the Napkin” by Murillo (1668)
  • "The Portrait of Don Cristobal Suarez de Ribera" by Velázquez (1620)
  • El Greco's painting of his son Jorge Manuel (1603) 
  • A terracotta statue of St. Jerome (1528) by Pietro Torrigiano
  • Along with the paintings, there are sculptures and an excellent display of ceramic panels, a traditional craft in Andalusia which flourished during the 17th and 18th centuries
  •  Just look up at all the ceilings, walk around the cloisters and see all the beautiful old tiles
  •  The stand-out feature is the nun's chapel which was 'decorated' by Murillo with some huge and impressive works
  •  Room V - 'El Gran Taller', which as the name indicates is huge with very high ceilings (beautifully decorated) and some very large paintings 
  • The best painting in the exhibition is titled "Malvaloca", showing a beautiful Andalusian woman staring at the viewer. The woman is dressed in a typical Andalusian costume
  •  There is an exceptional set of eight paintings that Domingo Martinez (1688 to1749) did to commemorate the Coronation of Fernando VI and Bárbara de Braganza, commissioned by the Tobacco Factory, documenting the actual procession with carriages depicting the earth, fire, air, water, and common joy

How to reach

By Bus:

Line 32. It takes 17 minutes and costs 1.02 to 1.44 Euros

By Bus:

It takes 20 minutes and costs 0.31 to 1.44 Euros

By Metro:

L 1

By Train:

C1, C4, C5

By Taxi:

It takes 7 minutes and costs 7.81 to 9.61 Euros

By Uber:

It takes 7 minutes and costs 9.01 to 10.81 Euros

By Walk:

It takes 35 minutes

Tips

  • If you happen to be visiting the Museo de Bellas Artes on a Sunday there’s a wonderful outdoor art market where local artists sell their watercolor scenes of the city. It is located in the shady square just in front of the museum’s main entrance
  • You have to leave your bags in lockers at the entrance  for 1 Euro
  • This is a place to linger, to learn about some artists you haven't seen before, to find unexpected beauty
  • They allow photography (without flash)
  • No brochure, small guide or any map or information of any sort of the museum is provided to orientate the visit. So gather prior information
  • If you are from the EU you can get in for free with your passport
  • QR codes are available for translations and information for your phone

Visit Time

Sunday:                9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Monday:                Closed
Tuesday:              9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Wednesday:         9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Thursday:             9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Friday:                  9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Saturday:              9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
      

Closed on: January 1st and January 6th, May 1st, and December 24th, 25th and 31st

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Waiting Time

No

 

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Entrance Fee

Yes

General:                                              1.50 Euros

EU members:                                      Free admission 

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Time you can spend

1 to 2 hours

 

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Weather

Overcast Clouds 15.68°C

 

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