Chapel of the Pura y Limpia

Anyone strolling through El Arenal on the way to the river could easily walk straight past it without noticing, which would be a shame. Beside the Postigo del Aceite, on Calle Almirantazgo, stands the Chapel of the Pura y Limpia, a small 18th-century Catholic church that preserves the memory of a form of devotion that once dotted the city's streets.

Its value lies not in its size but in what it represents. For centuries, numerous street chapels dedicated to the Immaculate Conception were built across Seville, places for a passing prayer woven into the daily life of each neighbourhood. Only a handful of them remain: this one in El Arenal is among the very few still standing, along with those in the Patio de Banderas and on the steps of the cathedral. A visit here is therefore a glimpse into an urban landscape that has all but vanished.

The setting adds to its appeal. The chapel stands in what was once the old Port of the Indies, the commercial heart of the Seville that looked towards the Americas, and sits right next to the Postigo del Aceite, one of the city's old gates, which in turn borders the Royal Shipyards (Reales Atarazanas). Pause for a few minutes in this corner and it is easy to picture the bustle of goods, sailors and merchants that once filled these streets.

It is best included in a walking tour of El Arenal, combined with the Postigo and the Atarazanas, to understand how port life and popular religious devotion coexisted in this neighbourhood. A brief stop, but one of those that help you see the city through new eyes.