Plaza de España

Standing in the heart of Seville’s magnificent Plaza de España, you can sense there’s something special about this place. No city builds a square this grand without a reason! To understand its grandeur, we need to travel back to the year 1898. This date might not mean much to you, but it was crucial in the history of Spain and the Americas. It marked the end of the Spanish-American War and the redrawing of the United States’ borders. Spain lost its last colonies—Cuba and Puerto Rico—and went back home empty handed.To heal these wounds, someone suggested hosting a grand world’s fair in Seville. The goal? To honor Spain’s vanished empire and improve relationships with countries in the Americas and Portugal by celebrating them in the beautiful city of Seville. World War I delayed the event, but the Ibero-American Exposition was finally inaugurated in 1929, leaving a lasting mark on Seville’s architecture. The Plaza de España was its crown jewel—the most ambitious and expensive construction of the fair—and it has remained one of the city’s greatest treasures ever since. Sevillian architect Aníbal González created this stunning space as a sweeping semi-circle blending Renaissance, Gothic, and Mudejar styles. Framed by two towers soaring 80 metres high, the building is lined by a canal with four bridges. At its center, a grand fountain brings everything together. But there’s more to this place than meets the eye—it’s filled with hidden symbolism. The two towers represent the King and Queen of Spain, the canal symbolises the Guadalquivir River, opening onto the ocean, and beyond, to the Americas. Finally, the four bridges stand for the four historic kingdoms of Spain: Castile, Navarre, León, and Aragon. They all lead towards the palace, representing national unity. At the base of the building, 52 mosaic alcoves depict the 48 Spanish provinces of the time and former colonial territories. Each one tells a unique story through scenes from history or elements of regional culture. Imagine that! A symbol of healing after losing an empire has become one of Seville’s most famous sights. Today, the Plaza stands as both a beautiful tribute to Spain’s past and an amazing example of 20th-century architectural brilliance.