The crypt of the Church of the Annunciation holds one of the best kept secrets of Seville: the Pantheon of Illustrious Sevillians. It is an unusual subway corner that recovers its free guided tours by the University of Seville.
What is the Pantheon of Illustrious Sevillians?
The space was an initiative of Dean López Cepero and the authorities of the University of Seville. Its purpose? To house the remains and funerary motifs that came from other temples that had been damaged by the French troops.
The Ponce de León family , Cecilia Böhl de Faber (Fernán Caballero), Mateos Gago, Catalina de Alcocer, José Gestoso and the Bécquer brothers are some of the Sevillian personalities who rest in its interior.
The pantheon has a Latin cross plan with a barrel vault covered by marble and is accessed by the Faculty of Fine Arts through an imposing Renaissance façade by Hernán Ruiz II.
Something awakens the cemeteries, catacombs and pantheons that visitors often include these spaces among their stops. From Pere Lachaise, the Cemetery of San Fernando or this pavilion under the city.
Why is it located under the Church of the Annunciation?
The Church of the Annunciation, former Professed House of the Society of Jesus, was the ideal place to house the Pantheon. It had just undergone a restoration and was vacated when King Charles II expelled this religious order by decree in 1767.
It would not be until the 70’s of the last century when Florentino Pérez Embid, General Director of Fine Arts, promoted the expansion and restoration of this corner as we know it today.
When will the visits take place?
The tours in question include the pantheon and the church, and will begin in September. As in previous years, on Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m. (except days and holidays); at 11:30 a.m. in the case of groups.
In any case, the routes are free in both cases. In this case, reservations are activated every Monday at 12:00 noon for the following week.
Those who prefer to visit the Pantheon on their own may do so on Fridays from 17:00 to 20:00, except on public holidays, without prior reservation.
Access to the Pantheon is not adapted for people with reduced mobility.