Blacksmiths and the Mint

Illustration by Arturo Redondo of Seville in 1519.

Smoke-filled workshops and smithies forging metals, tools, and coins occupied the space between the cathedral, the Lion's Gate (Puerta del León), and the interior walls of the Alcázar. Just a few years later, the area was chosen to be the site of the great merchants' exchange. This market played a central role in the cosmopolitan, commercial city that Seville had become in the 16th century. The creation of the merchants' exchange also placated the Cathedral Chapter, whose members had long believed that the Orange Tree Courtyard (Patio de los Naranjos) and the cathedral were no place for business. Later, the exchange building would become the General Archive of the Indies, housing most of the historical documents relating to the first circumnavigation of the world.