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The 2 euro commemorative coin of Spain, issued in 2024 in a circulation of 1,000,000 copies, is the fifteenth in the "Patrimonio de la Humanidad de la UNESCO" series. Dedicated to the monumental complex "Cathedral, Alcázar and Archive of the Indies of Seville". It was minted at the Madrid Mint. Bimetallic, diameter 25.75 mm, weight 8.5 g.
Overse
The national side of the coin depicts an interior view of the Courtyard of the Maidens (Patio de las Doncellas) of the Royal Alcázar of Seville - one of the most exquisite examples of Mudejar architecture. The characteristic marble columns, horseshoe-shaped arches with openwork decor and a rectangular pool in the center of the courtyard are visible. At the top along the arc is the inscription "ESPAÑA", below - "SEVILLA". At the bottom - the year "2024". On the right is the Madrid mint mark (the letter "M" surmounted by a crown). On the outer ring are the 12 stars of the EU.
Reverse
The reverse is the common side of the 2 euro coins of the second type, designed by Luc Luix (Royal Belgian Mint). It depicts a map of Europe as a single continent without internal borders - a symbol of European unity. On the left is a large denomination "2" and the inscription "EURO", on the right is a map with six thin horizontal lines in the background. On the outer ring are the 12 stars of the European Union. The band is finely fluted and has the inscription "2 ★", repeated six times, alternately upright and inverted.
Historical context
The monumental complex "Cathedral, Alcázar and Archive of the Indies of Seville" was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987. The three buildings form an outstanding ensemble in the center of Seville. Seville Cathedral (Catedral de Santa María de la Sede) is the largest Gothic building in Europe, built in 1401-1519 on the site of the great Almohad mosque; it houses the monumental tomb of Christopher Columbus. Nearby is the Giralda Tower, an ancient 12th-century minaret, topped with a Renaissance bell tower from 1568, a masterpiece of Almohad architecture. The Royal Alcázar of Seville is a fortified palace, the construction of which began as an Arab fortress in the 10th century. and lasted for centuries, presenting a mixture of Islamic, Mudejar and Christian architecture. The Royal Apartments of Pedro I (1364-1366) are a Mudejar masterpiece. The Archive of the Indies (formerly Casa Lonja - a maritime exchange, built 1584-1598) preserves invaluable documents about the Spanish colonization of the Americas. All three buildings are testimonies of the Almohad civilization and Christian Seville after the Reconquista of 1248.