Mar 202017
 

I processed this photo over a year ago but hadn’t posted it because I had no idea what this building with the impressive door was. I’ve just spent the last twenty minutes trying to find it on google street view and can confirm that this is the Palacio de San Telmo. It turns out it’s the seat of Andalusian Autonomous Government and it was originally built as a seminary school for the orphaned children of sailors.

fancy door on the palace of san telmo seville

Mar 122017
 

Here’s a closer view of the Plaza De Espana, which I’ve posted on this site before. The moat is semi-circular and runs the length of the buildings in the plaza. People were renting row boats to travel from one end to the other. I think I even saw a small motorboat which seemed a little like overkill.

plaza de espana, Sevilla, close up wih moat

Mar 072017
 

Seville is full of interesting architecture. I came across this building on a bus tour and have no idea what is was called! I was hoping when I looked at the file name it would trigger my memory, but the file name is the same as the title of this entry!

big round building in seville

Feb 222017
 

The Moorish influence on the architecture of Seville is incredible. Even the giant Gothic Cathedral relies heavily on the original mosque on the site for one of its wings. When I go to post photos from this city, I often have to pause and figure out whether they were taken in Spain or Morocco.

the central courtyard of the alcazar of seville with reflecting pool and detailed carved arches

Feb 042017
 

Wandering around the completely over the top Plaza de Espana it’s pretty obvious why so many movies (from Star Wars to The Dictator) have used this structure as a backdrop. This is the view looking out from the central entrance. It took me quite a while to figure out how to get the towers, light posts and fountains framed up under the archways. It involved sitting on the floor and ignoring the strange looks.

plaza de espana columns with towers and fountain in background

Jan 152017
 

The Alcázar of Seville, which was originally built for Moorish kings, has featured in Game of Thrones. It’s a huge complex. I was lucky enough to be there in off season so there were very few people wandering around it with me.

The below photo was taken in one of the side rooms surrounding The Courtyard of the Maidens.

interior-view-of-room-around-courtyard-of-the-maidens-alcazar-seville-spain

Jan 082017
 

The Plaza de Espana has been used in a lot of movies. The one most referenced is Star Wars. However, I watched “The Dictator” a few weeks ago and felt like his palace was strangely familiar. Then, it cut to a close in view of the facade and I realized that they were using the Plaza De Espana, but had added a load of globes and towers on top of it with CGI.

plaza de espana panorama with pebble mosaic in foreground

Mar 012014
 

I took this picture after a long mission to get into the Sagrada Familia without waiting on line. It involved saying “screw waiting on this line” and having the best tapas I’ve ever had at a place called Tapas 24, or 21. I don’t remember the number too well.

I’d normally be annoyed by having cranes and scaffolding in a picture, but it is very much part of the interesting things about this monument as it’s been under construction for such a long time.

la sagrada familia, Barcelona from the park with pond and cranes still under construction no tourists no people blocking view