Seville authorities plan to make visiting Plaza de España paid

Seville wants to charge tourists for visiting one of its most popular attractions – Plaza de España. The city’s mayor, José Luis Sanz, announced this on his page on the social network X.

“They are not going to close or privatize anything: we will only charge tourists a fee, as is done in most cities in the world… Only at the expense of the City Council budget we can neither preserve our heritage nor guarantee the safety of the monument,” the politician wrote. He emphasized that residents of the city and province will still be able to visit the square for free. In addition, José Luis Sanz posted a video that shows what the Plaza de España looks like now: with chipped tiles, worn railings, dirty walls, and many street vendors located right on the steps.

The mayor did not name the amount of the tourist tax or its possible introduction date. Meanwhile, X users, including residents of Seville, criticized the initiative of José Luis Sanz. The speaker of the socialist faction of the city council, Antonio Muñoz, spoke out categorically against the restriction of access to the square, which he called “the theft of public space.” Residents of Seville are demanding that the mayor’s office reconsider the decision and introduce a tourist tax instead of an entrance fee, as has been done in other cities.

Plaza de España is an architectural ensemble in the neo-Moorish style, built to host the Ibero-American Exhibition of 1929. Thousands of people from all over the world visit it every day. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace was filmed at Plaza de España in 1999. It is the cultural center of Seville and hosts numerous performances, concerts, and fashion shows.

Read more Spanish news on our website.