Spirited Travelers, bite-sized travel stories.

After checking into our hotel in Seville, we went out to explore. We walked one block, turned the corner and ~ bam! ~ here this was. What a wonderful surprise. But what is it?

It’s Las Setas de Sevilla.

The official name is the Metropol Parasol Project. The locals call it the Las Setas de Sevilla, which means “the mushrooms of Seville.”

Construction began on March 6, 2006, and was completed on May 6, 2011. According to its website, it:

  • is the largest wooden structure in the world
  • has a footprint of 150×70 meters (492×230 ft)
  • is over 28 meters (92 ft) tall
  • “contains 3,500 parts joined by nearly 3,000 knots and screws 16M. In total, 3,500 cubic meters of raw wood finish pine micro-laminate (KERTO) coated waterproof, breathable and flexible polyurethane.”

In other words, it’s big and there are lots of pieces.

And it’s beautiful. See what you think:

Las Setas dominates the plaza and crosses the street.
The ground-level plaza underneath Las Setas is a favorite place to hang out in the late afternoon, just to admire the structure…
…or to take some photos…
…or to enjoy the company of a friend.
I don’t think smoking was officially allowed, but they were in the underground level, surrounded by concrete, so it probably didn’t matter.
Shapes and forms.
Shadow.
The space between.
The observation deck has a great view of Seville.
Catching the sunset from the observation deck of Las Setas is a perfect way to end the day. Then, it’s off to dinner: tapas and Spanish wine. Ciao!

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