Sevilla Part 3: Plaza d'Espana and Archaeology Museum

Think, for a moment, about the year 1929. In America, the 'Roaring 20's,' Prohibition, and gangsters were all coming to an end, and we were about to plunge into the Great Depression. In Europe, the Depressions that followed WWI (and led to WWII) were still raging in some countries, including Spain. Andalusia, in particular, suffered from poverty and joblessness. To assuage this economic situation and bring trade into the region, Spain organized the 1929 Ibero-American Exposition to be held in Sevilla. And to host such an international event, they had to construct a park and permanent pavilions in the Parque Maria Luisa, which the Princess of that name had donated to the city in 1893. What remains is arguably the most gorgeous part of Sevilla: the Plaza d'Espana.

 The Plaza, pictured in panoramic above, is a semi-circular building with tall towers at either end, enclosing a crescent-shaped pond with a plaza in the center. And a fountain, of course. The entire area is filled with tile work and hand-painted ceramics, so from handrails to lamp posts, everything here is a work of art. This is a wonderful place to take visitors and let them think, 'WOW, Spain is gorgeous!' And it's free and open to the public. I had read about the Plaza, even seen some pictures from friends, and still had no idea how beautiful and elegant it is.

For example, the guidebooks mention the 'benches' that surround the Plaza and represent Spain's provinces. Well, if by bench, you mean the enormous hand-painted tiles with custom paintings, then yes, each province has its own 'bench.' They are placed side by side around the entire semi-circle, in alphabetical order. Each province has a unique picture, and a map showing where in Spain it is located. There are 50 benches, one for each province, including the Canary Islands. It is fun to take some time and study each one, but beware of gypsies hawking their wares all around!

The Plaza d'Espana is surrounded by the Parque Maria Luisa, which is a beautiful leafy area that--to me--is like a much classier version of Central Park. From the Plaza, you can take a carriage ride from one of the many that line up there, or you can just stroll the shaded gravel boulevards and enjoy the garden fountains, statues, and flowers. There are also large bicycles for rent that will seat a family of 4 on their wide bench seats. We did not have the kids with us at the time, but I would go back just to spend an afternoon biking with them and enjoying the scenery.

Parking tip: On weekends, you can actually park directly behind the Plaza d'Espana on the streets that are marked for the University. Parking is available for up to 24 hours, and costs .20 Euro cents per hour, so we left the car there all day, and walked to the Cathedral, Alcazar, and other sites just a few minutes away. There is also underground parking a few blocks closer to the Cathedral, but it is much more expensive.

 If you wander to the South East of the Parque Maria Luisa, you will see some of the other pavilions that were constructed for the 1929 Exposition. They have since been converted into museums, but the buildings themselves are quite interesting. We were headed to the Archaeology Museum, which we really enjoyed. Admission is FREE to EU citizens (simply show your Spanish driver's license). The museum has several exhibits from Spain's pre-historic times, and from the Phoenician civilization, but of course the 'cool stuff' is from the Roman period. There are numerous mosaics, statues, and ruins from the Roman site of Italica, just outside Sevilla, including this larger-than-life statue and pillars from the Temple of Diana. The museum is 3 stories, but with most exhibits on the 2 main floors. The English guide pamphlet had useful information about each room, but the rest of the descriptions were in Spanish, so bring a dictionary to get the most of your visit.

There are also some very interesting artifacts from the period when the Moors controlled Sevilla (roughly 800's- 1200's). For the most part, the Moorish conquest was peaceful: Muslims, Jews, and Christians co-existed in most major Spanish cities during this time. This pillar, covered in Arabic and Moorish architecture, discusses the tolerance for Christians and how they would be allowed to continue to practice their religion. Obviously, the Christians did not return the favor when they re-conquer Spain and held the Inquisition! A lot of Moorish artifacts were destroyed during the re-conquest, but I find this period very intriguing, and like to learn about it.








The Archaeology Museum does not have much from the Renaissance, or more 'modern' time periods, unless you count the stone caskets of several knights, noblemen, and bishops on the porch outside.

A final word about Sevilla: tapas! I have written about tapas before, which are basically Spanish appetizers, or a small plate with just a few bites of flavorful food. But when you are eating in Sevilla, this is the way to do it! You will see plenty of cafes, restaurants, and bars all advertising their tapas of the day. It is a great way to break up a long day of sightseeing with a small salad, some tasty meat and cheese, and a cool drink. Plus, you can pretend to eat like a hobbit-- enjoy 11sies, lunch, second lunch, and teatime. Each dish will make you want to have just one more drink, and with that drink you'll want to order another dish... so go ahead and point to some unknown items on the menu, and see what delicious bites they bring you. 

Average cost per tapa in Sevilla appears to be about 3 Euro. More at some upscale places, but you should be able to get them around 3 Euro at the average streetside cafe. Mucho gusto! :-)