Situated south of the Giralda and occupying a prime location on the Guadalquivir lies the Parque de Maria Luisa. The walk from the centre of Seville takes you along quite a major road but you get the opportunity to see the Royal Tobacco factory -– the one where Carmen worked and sang arias –- and the impressive hotel Alfonzo XIII.
Built in the 1920s when Seville were planning to stage a major exposition, the park itself occupies an enormous area and is criss-crossed with elegant, shady boulevards. It is extremely pleasant to stroll through the exotic plantings and underneath the shady pines, elms and Seville’s eponymous orange trees. Tucked away at various points are pavilions and ponds . . . the Mudejar style that characterises much of the architecture again being well represented and influencing the building here.
There are a number of grand palaces dating from the same period within the park. Two lie to the south, flanking the ornate, more formal garden of the Plaza de America. These grand buildings now house a couple of the city’s museums -– a costume museum in one and archaeology in the other. Hmm . . . I have to admit that the Blonde and I were in complete agreement that we shouldn’t risk spoiling the good impression that the museums had made on us by venturing inside.
The grandest structure in the park by far is the Plaza de Espana –- a building that is rivalling the Giralda as the distinctive landmark of Seville, particularly since the release of the latest Star Wars movie. The crescent boasts grand porticoes along its length and ends with dramatic towers at either end. The ornate Moorish influence has been given something of an Art Deco twist and, from a distance, it is a most impressive structure. A little closer up, however, signs of age were very obvious. The bridges crossing the rectangular pool had balustrades in great need of repair. Some of the tile works in the alcoves representing the provinces of Spain looked somewhat tired. The porticoes and the stairways had a barren, almost seedy air about them.
The Plaza clearly makes an excellent backdrop to events and public performances but, on a cloudy February day, its use as a government building seemed to have seeped into its soul . . . it looked uncared for (like public servants!!). I suspect, however, that since our visit in early 2001 the visit of a certain Mr. Lucas and his friends . . . and the transportation of the Plaza to the planet Naboo…may have had an impact on its state of repair!
Seville really was planning to show off in the 1920’s with its exposition and this park would have left many a visitor impressed by the city’s style and panache.