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(The cathedral has fifteen doors on its four facades. One of the major doors is the Door of the Lizard.)
In the Patio de los Naranjos or Orange Tree Patio in the Seville Cathedral there is a life-size alligator. In the 13th century the sultan of Egypt sent Alfonso X of Castile several gifts among which there was a crocodile from the Nile. The crocodile languished in its captivity and shortly died. A wooden model of the beast was carved, and covered with its skin, and this was hung in the corner of the Courtyard of the Oranges, where it can still be seen today. (I'm not sure if this one is the wooden carving from the 13th century, or that it is covered with the alligator's skin - after some time, I think there was a new carving although I cannot find anything to confirm this.)
It is popularly known as the “lizard of the cathedral” and awakens great curiosity among all the visitors.
In ancient Egypt the crocodile God, whose name was Sobekh, was of great power. He was important to the cycles of fertility and vegetation through his connection to the Nile, and devourer of the souls who failed to pass the judgement of Osiris after death. More importantly, he was able to protect against the evil eye, and the placing of a crocodile over the entrance to the cathedral was probably intended to help to keep the forces of evil at bay.
Since this was a gift from the sultan of Egypt, the crocodile, with all its symbolism would have been a very gracious gift.
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