Sevilla - Taberna de Las Escobas

Seville was a Roman "colonia" since 45 BC. The important city was looted by the Vandals in 428 and developed into a Bishopric seat under Visigothic rule. After the Moors had defeated the Visigoths in the Battle of Guadalete, they conquered Seville and made it the capital of a province. Normans devastated Seville in 844 but Seville was rebuilt and flourished under the different Moorish dynasties. In 1248 Seville was conquered by the troops of Ferdinand III of Castile. The emigration of thousands of Moors to Northern Africa led to a decrease in economics in the whole area. Seville recovered in the 16th and 17th century when it became the hub of Spanish maritime trade. During this period, the port of Seville had a monopoly on overseas trade. Vespucci and Magellan planned and started their voyages here. As a result of the War of the Spanish Succession, in 1717 Seville lost the transatlantic trade monopoly to Cádiz.

The "Antigua Taberna de Las Escobas" dates back to 1386, making it the oldest establishment in Spain. The oldest tavern in Spain is named after an old basket weaver, who made the brooms or "escobas" by hand.

People from all walks of life used to come to the Antigua Taberna de Las Escobas, including writers. It´s claimed that English poet Lord Byron, father of mathematician Ada Lovelace, was a guest here.