The iconic Plaza de Espaa monument in Seville was created in preparation for the 1929 Ibero-American Exhibition, which was hosted in the Andalusian capital. It was the focal point of the exhibition, with several pavilions showcasing Spain's achievements in manufacturing and architecture. It was situated in Mara Luisa Park.
There are 48 tiny pavilions surrounding the building, each of which is dedicated to a province in Spain and is adorned with finely detailed ceramic tiles (azulejos). These were shown to highlight the city's talents in industry and craft. Today, museums like the Archaeological Museum and the Museo de Artes y Costumbres Populares have pavilions of their own.
The monument is located in Mara Luisa Park, which was designed in the style of Moorish architecture and has numerous ponds, fountains, orange and palm trees, and well-kept flowerbeds. One of the greatest ways to explore this Jean-Claude Nicolas Forestier creation is on foot or by enjoying a romantic horse-and-carriage tour through the park and around the enormous plaza, which is 50,000 square feet in size.
Anbal González created the interesting structure, whose spectacular construction swings around the plaza in a sizable semicircle. Vicente Traver's magnificent fountain is located in the heart of it. A moat surrounds the entire structure, which was constructed in the Moorish Revival and Renaissance Revival architectural styles. Visitors can rent boats to leisurely row through the moat.
Four bridges gracefully curve across the moat, each representing a former kingdom of Spain: Navarre, Aragón, Castile, and León. The architecture is further enhanced by the addition of colorful, painted ceramic tiles to their supports.
Avenida de Isabel la Catolica, 41004 Seville Spain
read more