Located in the south Spain Seville will host three million tourists in 2023. The capital of Andalusia and fiery flamenco is famous for the most beautiful monuments in the country. Suffice it to say, it is in the top three most visited cities in Spain.
Plaza de España in Seville
The flagship point on the map of Seville, and a place that cannot be missed during a walk around the city, is Spanish Square. This one of the most beautiful architectural ensembles in the world was designed for Ibero-American Exhibition in 1929 by a Seville architect Aníbala Gonzáleza. The artist smuggled in elements characteristic of neo-Renaissance, neo-Gothic and Mudejar style.
The square has the shape of a surrounded semicircle Parkiem Mari Luizy. Representative buildings form the main pavilion, which surrounds the fountain located in the heart of the square. The main element of the object is Spanish Palaceon the façade of which the iconic azulejos tiles depict… The 48 provinces of Spain in alphabetical order. There is a canal stretching along the pavilion, over which four bridges symbolizing the former kingdoms of Spain tower – Aragon, Castile, Navarre and Leon.
Impressive space served as a set in the films Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace and Episode II – Attack of the Clones.
Already Spain Square there are also spontaneous flamenco shows, concerts, theater performances for residents, and even fashion shows. In a word: it is the heart of the bustling city, a meeting point and a must-see attraction for tourists visiting Seville.
Paid entry to Piazza di Spagna in Seville?
It is therefore not surprising that the idea of introducing paid admission to Plaza de España was met with outrage. He announced the upcoming changes via the X portal Mayor of Seville, José Luis Sanz: We plan to close the Plaza de España and charge tourists a fee to fund its maintenance and keep it safe.
The assurances that only tourists would have to pay for entry, not residents of the province or those born in the Andalusian city, did not help. It didn't take long for Internet users to react.
“A tourist tax for all visitors causes less discussion and generates more income. Listen to the people, not hoteliers,” wrote one user X.
“What people expect from you is a tourist tax and general regulation of mass tourism that is destroying our city,” said another Internet user.
The mayor of Seville justified his decision too many tourists visiting the capital of Andalusia every year and the need to restore the Square. The entry included a video showing broken balustrades, scattered garbage and vendors with souvenirs placed on the historic stairs.
Admission to Piazza di Spagna in Seville – price unknown
The mayor did not write how much entry to the square will cost or when the fees will come into force. The political opposition took advantage of the Andalusians' opposition. Its leader, Antonio Muñoz, called Sanz's proposal “theft of public space”adding that “no one would even think of closing St. Mark's Square in Venice or the Plaza de Mayor in Madrid.”
However, Seville is not the first city of its type “hotspot”, which introduces entry fees to its flagship attractions. From July 2023, visitors to Rome must pay five euros to visit the ancient pantheon. This spring, Venice will begin a trial period of entry fees to the city on selected days.