SPAIN: Sevilla's Plaza de España

A “modern” attraction in Seville is the Plaza de España, built as the centerpiece of the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929.

At the time Spain was redefining itself after the loss of its empire. 

The project was intended to reassert Spain’s cultural importance plus strengthen ties with Latin America.

However, timing coincided with the onset of the Great Depression and unfortunately, the fair never achieved the economic success its organizers had hoped for.

Construction began in 1914 and continued for over a decade. It employed thousands of artisans—bricklayers, tile painters, metalworkers, and sculptors.

The style blends Renaissance with Mudéjar and Moorish influences. This reflects the cultural layers of Andalusia over the centuries. 

The Plaza de España has 50 ceramic tile alcoves, each representing one of Spain’s 50 provinces.

The scenes highlight defining moments for each province, such as royal visits, battles, acts of loyalty, or regional milestones.

Coastal provinces often emphasize maritime history and exploration, while inland regions highlight religious, royal, or military pasts. 

Andalusian provinces frequently feature Moorish or Mudéjar visual language, acknowledging the Islamic past that shaped the region.

People like to get into the alcoves for selfies, relaxing, lunch, etc, which gets in the way of me taking my perfect photo.

In front of the alcoves runs the plaza’s canal.

Crossing the curved canal are ornate bridges. They “symbolically represent Spain’s rivers and maritime connections, especially its historic links to the Americas.” If you recall back to your school days, you'll remember that "in 1492 Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue", departing from Spain to then  “discover” America.

From a practical sense, the canals reflect the light and color, while also cooling the space in Seville’s scorching summer heat.

We haven’t had the best of weather, so, we felt lucky to enjoy it on a sunny day.

And the sunny periods are when the "camera" (cellphone) comes out.