This distinctive tower, one of Seville’s signature landmarks, has been guarding the Río Guadalquivir since the 13th century. The original dodecagonal structure, built to bolster the city’s fortified walls, was subsequently heightened, first in the 14th century and then again in the late 1700s. Over the centuries, the tower has served as a chapel, prison and naval office; nowadays it houses a small maritime museum and a rooftop viewing platform.
It owes its name to the golden light that would reflect off its tiles, though some dispute this, claiming the name is a reference to the gold that was plundered from Spain’s American colonies and stored in the tower.
