The courtyard of the Royal Alcazar residence in Seville

Real Alcazar (from arabic: al-qasr, meaning palace) de Seville was a royal residence. It looks plain from the outside, but judging from the inside it is a good substitue for those who have not been at the Alhambra. The palace shows mudejar architecture, Christian architecture employing Arab motifs and elements, at its best. It is an UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the oldest royal residences in Europe. Most of the modern Alcázar was built over Moorish ruins for King Pedro of Castile (also known as Pedro the Cruel) with construction beginning in 1364. The palace still have a distinct Islamic design, due to the fact that Pedro used Moorish workers to build his palace.