|  The
area in which Seville is located was were the first Roman colony
governed the whole of Spain for more than six centuries from the
city of Italica which can still be visited today. During this
time the Romans changed the face of the countryside and towns,
building aqueducts and long straight roads to link the major towns.
 However
the Muslim civilization had the most impact on the city. Their
reignlasted for nearly 800 years in Andalusia from 711 until 1492
when the Catholic monarchs defeated the Moslem kingdom of Granada.
Some of the city's most magnificent buildings stand as a legacy
to this era. After the discovery of the Americas Seville became
the hub of all trade and traffic to the new world and as a result
became one of the richest cities in Spain and Europe. For this
reason many aristocrats and painters, made Seville one of the
most cosmopolitan hangouts in Europe. Lavish Renaissance and baroque
buildings blossomed, and many stars of Spain's artistic golden
age Zubarán, Murillo, Juan de Valdés Leal were based
there.
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