In the 20^th century Seville lived an evolution, something that we’ve inherited as citizens of the 21^st century. At the beginning of the century Regionalist art developed, which mixed together the different Sevillian artistic traditions. Actually, its birth is related to European Historical art which rescued traditional architecture and modernised it.

The exhibition of ‘29

Regionalism is intimately related to the Exposition of 1929 or the Ibero-American exhibition, which took place in Seville and tried to unite and twin the American countries which had been colonies of the Spanish Empire, and whose union link was this city. Thanks to this event, the authorities took advantage to modernise and reform the historic centre by constructing new buildings in this very style. And so great regionalist architects rose up, like Anibal Gonzalez, Jose Espiau, or Juan Talavera y Heredia, who designed constructions of exceptional beauty. The most significant is, without a doubt, Spain Square.

New Advances

On the other hand, for the whole country the years in the middle of the century meant the Civil War, post war and dictatorship. It wasn’t until the end of the 70s that the city had its second step towards modernisation, building the airport, changing the river route so as not to suffer from flooding, and building new neighbourhoods. With the improvement of communication like roads and bus and train stations Seville started to receive some tourists, although the majority only stopped on their way to the beaches.

The Exhibition of ’92 and on towards the future

The dictatorship was now over and with Seville as the capital of Andalusia, an event occurred in 1992 that still prevails in the Sevillian and Spanish collective memory. It had been 500 years since the discovery of America, and, again, there wasn’t a better place to commemorate it than in Seville.

The ‘Exhibition of ‘92’ brought new technology, new transport, new research, and new people that were interested in discovering what was behind the façade of this ‘little city’ located in the south of Spain. Seville never stopped being a welcoming city to visitors, with an open mind and tolerance (more than what the black legend has made us believe) a result of its mix of peoples and cultures which now in the time of human rights and knowledge, looks on towards the future trying to remember a little more of its past, to rise from its ashes and be the great city it always was.

Image source: Flickr. Rey perezoso