Santiponce Itálica

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Pantheon of the distinguished Sevillians

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One of the best kept secrets of the capital of Seville is hidden underground, specifically in the crypt of the Iglesia de la Anunciación (Church of the Annunciation), although it can be accessed through the patio of the University School of Fine Arts, the building next to the temple.

Some of the most famous Sevillians, from important writers to humanists, lie in this pantheon. The construction of this place is due to Dean López Cepero and the authorities of the University of Seville, who decided to house the remains and funerary motifs of important Hispanic personalities in a single place, since French troops had caused great damage to many temples.

The Church of the Annunciation was chosen because it had just been restored and although it was the former Professed House of the Society of Jesus, it was vacated when the Company of Spain was expelled by a decree of King Charles II in 1767. Centuries later, in the 1970s, Florentino Pérez Embid, Director General of Fine Arts, promoted the expansion and restoration work on the crypt, which has continued as of today.

Access to the crypt is framed by a Renaissance doorway by Hernán Ruiz II, although this was closed after the 20th century reform and is therefore accessed through the University School of Fine Arts.

This pantheon has the remains of some of the most famous Sevillians, such as Arias Montano (humanist), Valeriano Bécquer (painter), Fernán Caballero and Mateos Gagos (writers), Alberto Lista (illustrator) or Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, the great poet.

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