Seville is frequently used by authors as a setting for their novels. This was especially true during the Golden Age of Spanish Literature. Seville appeared as a vibrant and dizzying city where two worlds- Europe and America- collided. In these literary masterpieces, audacious characters and rogues ventured to every part of the city in hopes to prosper and change their luck.
This is exactly what happens in Column of Fire, the novel that continues Ken Follett’s saga of The Pillars of the Earth (1989) and A World Without End (2007), and has led its author to sell more than 160 million copies in more than 30 languages.
Mixing romance and adventure, Follett’s new work takes places in the fictional city of Kingsbridge. Set in the 16th century, the novel takes place during the reign of Elizabeth I and the creation of England’s first secret service, as well as the country’s shift from Catholicism to Protestantism. A time period that was filled with both prosperity and turbulence.
Based on the fact that Follett’s new work takes place in the 16th century, Seville’s presence was vital, given the discovery of America and its transformation into the world’s most important port due to its connection with the New World. Seville’s port, which is located inland and thus spared the city from pirates, received exotic products, such as the potato, Tabaco, and chocolate, as well as slaves and silver. Silver imported to Spain helped Spain finance its numerous campaigns all over Europe. Philip II, the Invincible Armada, and the production of arms in Seville all appear in the novel.
Of course, the city’s grandiose monuments also make an appearance in Column of Fire, including the Real Alcázar, which was the location of the Casa de la Contratación in its first years. The Torre del Oro, which is now home to the Naval Museum, and the Cathedral, the true heart of the city, are also mentioned in the novel.
A stroll through Seville can at times transport us back to the excitement of the 16th century, however, Ken Follett’s masterpiece is sure to captivate readers no matter where they find themselves.