As one of the oldest cities in Spain, Seville is equally known for its innovative and progressive thinking. During the 1920′s, the city of Seville decided to host the Spanish-American Exhibition, with the intent of displaying the industrial and architectural advances the city had made. That exposition served as a foundation for the growth Seville is presently experiencing, and one of the centerpieces of this growth is Maria Luisa Park.

Located in the southern end of Seville, a section of the city filled with gardens and boulevards, Maria Luisa Park is a half-mile long and consists of exotic trees such palms, orange trees, elms and Mediterranean pines. There is also an expanse of flower beds, hidden bowers, ponds and pavilions, all of which makes Maria Luisa Park not only the largest park in Seville, but also one of the most memorable and loveliest parks in Europe.

Maria Luisa Park holds a cultural significance for the people of Seville, for not only is the park an iconic landmark in and of itself, but it is also home to several other famous Spanish points of interest as well. Chief among these is the Plaza de España. Designed and built by Spanish architect, Anibal Gonzalez, the Plaza de Espana is a mixture of modernism and classic Moorish architecture. The Plaza features a moat with four bridges that cross and in the center of the plaza is its world-renowned, beautiful fountain, where Spaniards and tourists alike wish to have their picture taken.

Another plaza that Maria Luisa Park hosts is the Plaza de America, a plaza dedicated to the countries of the New World. At this plaza, there is a building constructed for every country in the Americas, with one dedicated to Guatemala as one of the more recognizable buildings.

The founding of Maria Louisa Park was the result of a donation of property to the city of Seville in 1893 by the Duchess of Montpensier, Maria Luisa Fernanda, who wished for the property to be used as a public park; a large portion of the current grounds came from that donation. The design of the gardens as we know it today was a result of work of French landscape architect, Jean-Claude Forestier, who began 1911 with his work being revealed at the Spanish-American Exhibition in 1929.

For lovers of literature, there is a plaza in Maria Luisa Park which was built to revere Gustovo Adolfo Becquer, a post-romanticist poet who is recognized as one of the most important figures in Spanish literature. These landmarks, along with the gardens’ beauty, makes Maria Luisa Park attractive to people from all over the world.