The minaret of the mosque of Seville…

The minaret of the mosque of Seville (destroyed) had been one of the finest examples of Moorish tower architecture of the late twelfth century.

The simple square structure has become the bell tower of the Cathedral of Seville, one of the largest churches in the world and an outstanding example of the Gothic and Baroque architectural styles.

An ornate Renaissance cupola, designed by Hernan Ruize to house the cathedral bell, surmounts the tower: soon called the Giralda, its name derives from the topmost ornament, a weathervane, or "giraldillo," in the form of a female figure representing Faith.

The statue stands four meters (thirteen feet) in height—seven meters (twenty-three feet) with the pedestal—and has crowned the top of the tower since its installation in 1568.

The tower’s total height, including cupola and weathervane, is three hundred and twenty-feet (ninety-seven meters).