Metropol Parasol or Seville Mushrooms (Setas de Sevilla in Spanish) is a wooden structure built in 2011. Its author is the German architect Jürgen Mayer. The height of the mushroom-like structure is 26 meters. The real original name is Metropol Parasol. This is the largest wooden structure in the world. The construction of this architectural masterpiece brought with it many public controversies due to its very appearance, costs, and construction delays. The architect found inspiration for the construction in the vaults of the Seville Cathedral and in the ficus tree located in the Plaza se Cristo square. This structure has four levels.
The first level (level 0), which is underground, is the Antiquarium, which contains Roman mosaics and Moorish remains that were discovered in this place during construction. The Central Market is located on the first level. The roof of the first level is actually a public square that is under the open sky and above which there are wooden parasols. This part is used to hold various public events. On levels two and three there are panoramic terraces with a restaurant that offer a very nice view of Seville.
In the 19th century, there was a market at this place. Since 1990, this land has been empty and completely unusable, when the city authorities decided to build an underground parking lot on this site, with a market above. It was then that Roman and Moorish ruins from the Roman and Al Andalus eras were discovered. In 2004, the idea arose again that this space should somehow be valorized. On June 26, 2005, the construction of Metropol Parasol began with an initial investment of 50 million euros, and it was completed in 2011 with a total of 100 million. Today, tourists, lovers of modern design, visit the Metropol Parasol, walk through the mushrooms, which are connected by metal bridges.
• Working hours: from 09:30 to midnight every day
• Entrance: €2 (with antique shop), children up to 16 years old - free entrance
Author of the text:
Maja Glavaš, Bachelor with Honours in Communicology. Works in Tourism.
Contact: [email protected]; instagram: travel_europe1
