Plaza de España (Seville)

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For other places named Plaza de España, see Plaza de España.

1929 Exposition Building, the Plaza de España

The Plaza de España is one of Seville's most easily recognised buildings and the epitome of the Moorish Revival in Spanish architecture. In 1929 Seville hosted the Spanish-American Exhibition and numerous buildings were constructed for the exhibition in Maria Luisa Park, among them the Plaza designed by Aníbal González. On the Park's edge was built the current Plaza de España to showcase Spain's industry and technology exhibits.

The Plaza is a huge half-circle with buildings continually running around the edge accessible over the moat by numerous beautiful bridges . In the centre is a large fountain. Today the plaza mainly consists of Government buildings, but the beauty remains. A popular way to view the exhibition is by renting out a rowing boat and drifting around the moat. By the walls of the Plaza are many tiled alcoves, each representing a different province of Spain. Tourists can have their photo taken by their own home province.

The large fountain in the centre of the Plaza de España

[edit] In Fiction

Plaza de España is used as the "Cairo Great Britain Army Headquarters" for the movie Lawrence of Arabia (film)
It was also used as a setting for Naboo in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, though it was digitally modified.
In Dan Brown's novel Digital Fortress, the first scene takes place in the Plaza.