San Telmo Palace

Here stands perhaps the most elegant building in all of Seville—the Palacio de San Telmo. It’s a vast, rectangular structure with four corner towers and a large central courtyard. Take a moment to admire the magnificent white gateway at its centre, composed of three levels. The first has a sculpted doorway flanked by ornate columns. On the second level, there’s a central balcony surrounded by six allegorical female figures, each representing a different maritime discipline once taught at the college here. The final tier is crowned with a statue of San Telmo himself, alongside the two patron saints of Seville. This grand entrance is considered the finest example of Sevillian Baroque architecture. The palace’s story began in 1682, when the Merchant University College was established here on land once owned by the Inquisition. The school was created to educate the orphaned sons of sailors, and later evolved into a naval academy. In 1849, Antoine d’Orléans, Duke of Montpensier, and his wife María Luisa Fernanda de Borbón—the Queen of Spain’s sister—purchased the palace and made it their home. It was incredibly modern for its time: it had running water, bathrooms, electricity, a telegraph line, and even a private dock on the river. Upon her death, María Luisa left the palace to the Church and gave the gardens to the city, now known as the Parque de María Luisa. After extensive restoration, the palace became the seat of the regional government of Andalusia in 1989. As you walk around to the left side of the building, you’ll see twelve statues on the façade—tributes to twelve of Seville’s most celebrated figures. From poets and painters to religious leaders and heroes of the Reconquista, each one holds a special place in the city’s history. Even if three of them weren’t born in Seville, they are still considered Sevillians at heart. The palace has been a National Heritage Site since 1968. If you’d like to visit, admission is free, but you’ll need to book in advance.