The Spanish square of Seville:
The Spanish square of Seville is situated in the centre of the Maria Luisa park, its entrance is very close to the Cid Campeador roundabout, opposite to the so called monument and the ancient Real Factory of Tobacco.
The Plaza de España (Spanish square) was one of the most emplematic projects of the Latin American exposition of 1929. It was designed by the Sevillian architect Anibal Gonzalez, who was also the director of the exhibition event.
The square is 200 meters in diameter and has a semicircle shape, which represents the hug of Spain to its ancient colonies and looks towards the Guadalquivir river in order to symbolize the way towards America.
Its total surface is of 50.000 square meters, of which 19.000 are built-up while the rest 31.000 are free space. The square is rounded by a canal of 515 meters that is crossed by 4 bridges which represent the four Spanish Reigns.
The buidling is made of brick and a wide decoration of pottery, cofferings, marble, wrought and embossed iron; which give to the whole environment a Renassaince style.
The two towers that flank the square are 74 meters high and provide a Baroque style. These towers created scandal among the academics because of their height similar to those of Giralda.
Also the central fountain, a work of Vincente Traver, was questioned to break the circularity of the square.
Next the walls of the square there are 48 benchs which represent the forty-eight provinces of Spain, they are in alphabet order and for every province is painted its shield, the map and some historical facts related to the same.
Use and destination:
Initially after the end of the exhibition, its destiny was to be part of the University of Seville, and this is why exists the representation of each province. However, after having been used during the exhibition, it became the headquarters of the military government.
The Plaza of Spain has been used as the scene of some popular movies, like the movie of Lawrence Arabia, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones.