I did a short post on the striking ‘Setas de Sevilla’ back in February 2025, shortly after we returned from our Spanish city break. There was a lot of interest in that exotic structure in the sky and I promised to return with a fuller post – and some more photos.

Here it is…

Where is Seville?

Andalusia is an autonomous region, located on the Iberian Peninsula. It comprises eight provinces: Almería, Cádiz, Córdoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaén, Málaga, and Sevilla.

Seville is Andalusia’s capital city. Seville’s Spanish name is Sevilla, pron: Say-vee-ya) – a much more beautiful sound than the English version. If you say it correctly, local people smile back at you. It’s a rich experience.

Sevilla’s climate is beautiful in winter-spring, but can be ferociously hot in summer.

The story of the Setas de Sevilla…

In the spring of 2011 a strange structure began to rise above the busy La Encarnación Square.

The Setas de Sevilla (literally the Mushrooms of Seville) was not its original name. In the beginning, it was conceived as a giant parasol over the large and busy square, and named accordingly.

The original name was the Metropol Parasol, a giant wooden structure – the largest in the world – built as the centrepiece of the rejuvenation of one of the oldest quarters of the city.

It was created to operate as a dramatic but inviting ‘walkway-parasol’ upon which people could stroll along curving paths high above the streets. Aerial pathways would rise and fall, revealing different aspects of the city to those walking above. The whole experience would be nuanced by the journey of the bright ‘Spanish sun’ across the sky and the ever-changing light it cast.

The vision was delivered- magnificently. Just being there makes you tingle… Sunset is the most magical time.

The people of Seville continued to call it ‘the mushrooms’, so the wise city authorities went with the flow and agreed. It became Setas (mushrooms) de Sevilla: trips off the tongue and easy for us foreigners to remember… and what’s wrong with a mushroom, anyway!

The slow climb up the quite steep steps takes you to the entrance level. Tickets are purchased at a cost of approximately 16 euros. It’s well worth it, and – to the best of my knowledge – you can stay up there for as long as you wish.

Seville established a city-sponsored competition to choose a design for the Setas. 65 submissions were made. The winning design was by a German architect: Jürgen Mayer,

The new building was completed in April, 2011. It is 150 metres by 70, with an approximate height of 26 metres. Seeing it from below and walking around it on top, it seems to be a lot bigger.

The unique, wooden ‘parasols’ are made from an astonishing 3,500 cubic metres of micro-laminated Finnish pine. The building is certified and marked as the world’s largest wooden structure.

Creation of the Setas de Sevilla was not easy. There were technical problems as well as schedule delays. There were naming problems, too, as it was discovered that the architect had trademarked the name ‘Metropol Parasol’ and would charge for its use!

The town authorities reacted promptly, adopting the popular name the people used and Setas de Sevilla became the building’s official name.

Since its opening, the Setas de Sevilla has become the city’s third-most visited site in the city.

If you are ever close, make the trip and experience it. It’s an exciting and very ‘happy’ place. But then, sunshine tends to do that to people!

©️Stephen Tanham. Photos by the author.