Among the many symbols of the beautiful city of Seville, here is one of the most spectacular ones: Metropol Parasol, locally recognized as Las Setas de la Encarnación (the Incarnación’s Mushrooms) due to the quirky shape of the structure.
Boasting six parasols and four levels, the design of this structure was inspired by the vaults of the Seville Cathedral and the ficus trees in Plaza de Cristo de Burgos. The wooden structure is 150 meters long by 70 meters wide and about 30 high.
The underground level is the Aniquarium, where Roman and Moorish remains were discovered during the construction of the structure. At street level there is a market and a public plaza often used for events. Both the second and the third levels are platforms that feature a restaurant and fantastic views of the city centre. Today, the Metropol Parasol is commonly used as a meeting spot for locals or as a shaded place to hangout during the hot summer months.
Since the 19th century, a market building has been located in La Encarnacion square. During a period of urban renewal, the market was gradually torn down and remained dormant until 1990, when Seville chose to construct an underground parking space. This is when the ancient Roman and Moorish ruins were discovered, and construction was frozen.
In 2004, the city ran an international bidding process to foster alternate ideas for this space. The construction of the Metropol Parasol project (designed by German architect Jürgen Mayer) began in 2005 and was finally completed in 2011 after considerable complications. Since its inauguration, the space has been chosen as one of five finalists in the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture.
Visitors can choose simply to walk around the site, view the city from the Mirador, or even use the space to host various types of public or private events. Given its large size, its central location around the beautiful Jewish Quarter, and its great views of the city, the Metropol Parasol provides a great venue to host many kinds of performances, presentations and events. If interested in using this monument to host an event, more information can be found on the official site.
Cover image by Anual via Wikipedia