Few places reflect the splendor of the Spanish Golden Age better than Sevilla. The capital of Andalucía was the most important commercial center of the world-spanning Spanish Empire in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Its most popular historical sites are the Cathedral with the nearby La Giralda tower, the Real Alcázar and the Plaza de España. The monumental Plaza, built as the centerpiece of the 1929 Ibero-American Exposition, has been a popular location for films such as “Lawrence of Arabia” and “Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones”.
Next to the Plaza is a large botanical garden, the Parque de María Luisa, which was also created for the Exposition by transforming parts of the former gardens of the Palacio de San Telmo.
Also part of the massive development for the Exposition were several pavilions, each representing an Ibero-American country. Their architecture popularized a mixture of Art Deco, Neo-Baroque, Neo-Renaissance, and Neo-Mudéjar styles. The latter is exemplified by the Pabellón Mudéjar, now the Museum of Arts and Popular Customs. The Exposition of 1929 put Sevilla on the tourist map.
A 20% tax was levied on
all precious metals
Sevilla’s prosperity is closely linked to the discovery of the New World. After Christopher Columbus’ voyage in 1492, the city was granted a monopoly on trade with the Americas. A 20% tax, the quinto real, was levied on all precious metals entering Spain. The influx of goods led to significant economic growth, making the city one of the wealthiest in Europe at the time.
