Plaza España

The beautiful Plaza de España is located in the María Luisa Park. This romantic square was designed by Aníbal González Álvarez in 1929 for the Ibero-American Exposition. When the king first saw the square upon its completion, he remarked, "Gentlemen, I knew it would be beautiful, but not this beautiful." It seems this sentiment still holds, as the square was ranked second on the list of the most remarkable places to visit in the world by Tripadvisor travelers.

This event was intended to strengthen the bond between Spain, Portugal, and their colonies, with each country designing a pavilion. There are many beautiful pavilions to admire, but the Plaza de España is undoubtedly the absolute highlight.

The square is laid out in the shape of a giant semicircle and is surrounded by a beautifully decorated building with two towers at each end. The shape symbolized the embrace by the motherland Spain of her South American colonies! The opening towards the Guadalquivir River symbolizes the path to the colonies and America.

In the center of the square is a beautiful fountain. Alongside it flows a canal with four bridges, symbolizing the four kingdoms that Spain consisted of at the time: Castile, León, Navarre, and Aragon.

The buildings around the square are now used by various government services. Under the buildings are beautiful ceramic tile panels, the azulejos, in the form of benches. These colorfully illustrate the various Spanish provinces with their own map, provincial coat of arms, and historical events.

This unique place is ideal for taking fantastic panoramic photos, but you can also opt for a ride in a horse-drawn carriage or a boat ride through the canal.

Fun fact: the square was used as a set for the films "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Star Wars: Attack of the Clones."