Only in Seville by Duncan J.D. Smith

Parque de María Luisa 53 The Plaza de España Parque de María Luisa, the Plaza de España If one had to cite a modern counterpart to Seville Cathedral it would surely be the Plaza de España. Every bit as splendid but built for sec- ular reasons, it formed the centrepiece of the city’s Ibero-American Exposition of 1929 (Exposición iberoamericana de 1929). Today it is marvelled at by visitors for its fantasy architecture, eye-popping ceram- ics and historical symbolism. The idea for an Ibero-American Exposition celebrating Spain and its former colonies was proposed as early as 1909. As plans came together, the organising committee proposed creating a large public arena in which to host ceremonies and events. Its monumental design would be emblematic of the exposition as a whole, whilst also acting as the headquarters of the host country. Dubbed the Plaza de España, the structure was located at the northern end of the Parque de María Luisa. It was designed by Aníbal González (1876–1929), a Seville-born architect who had given up Modernism in favour of Historicism. This revivalist style celebrated architectural styles that had triumphed in bygone Andalucia, namely Gothic, Mudéjar (Christian Moorish), Renaissance and Baroque. By de- ploying them in the present, onlookers would be reminded of Spain’s historical glories. The style also celebrated contemporary local craft techniques in the form of painted glazed ceramics (azulejos) , exposed brickwork and wrought iron, hence it also being termed Sevillian Regionalism or Andalucismo . González designed many of the pavilions that made up the Ex- position but the Plaza de España was his masterpiece (see no. 20). It comprises a spacious semi-circular plaza some 660 feet in diameter, surrounded by a canal running for a third of a mile and crossed by four tiled footbridges, with cast iron lamp standards at each end. The plaza’s backdrop is provided by an imposing crescent of buildings in a mish-mash of Gothic, Mudéjar and Renaissance styles, terminated at each end by neo-Baroque towers. Each with a height of 240 feet, these are inspired by the towers of Santiago de Compostella. That construction lasted from 1914 until 1928 is indicative not only of the work involved but also of the high cost, both of which caused delays. Fortunately, González was assisted in his herculean task by fellow architect Aurelio Gómez Millán (1898–1991), engineer José Luis de Casso Romero and over a thousand labourers. 112