Plaza de España, Seville

Plaza de España is a monumental semicircular plaza located in the Parque de María Luisa in Seville, Andalusia, built for the 1929 Ibero-American Exposition. Designed by architect Aníbal González, it spans approximately 50,000 square metres and consists of a central building with two tall towers at each end, connected by a curved colonnaded gallery in the Spanish Renaissance Revival style. The building's ground floor features 48 alcoves representing each of Spain's provinces at the time of construction, each decorated with a distinctive tilework scene depicting the province's history, coat of arms, and map — an often-missed treasure that rewards slow exploration. A shallow semicircular canal runs in front of the building, traversed by four ornate ceramic bridges symbolising the medieval kingdoms of Spain. Boats can be rented at the canal's edge, providing a unique low perspective on the tiled facades. The plaza is entirely free to enter and explore at any time. Its scale and architecture have made it a popular film location: it stood in for Naboo's Royal Palace in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and appeared in Lawrence of Arabia and several other productions. The surrounding Parque de María Luisa contains fountains, ponds, and shaded paths that extend the visit. The north and south towers are open to the public and provide elevated views over the plaza. An exhibition inside documents the 1929 Exposition.