View of Regina street. In the background the Metropol Parasol (by architect Jurgen Mayer H). Taken in the summer of 2018 Sevilla, Spain

@Javier Gonzalez/iStock


The Metropol Parasol, known locally as Las Setas (The Mushrooms), is one of Seville's iconic modern landmarks. Built in 2011 to a design by German architect Jürgen Mayer H, the colossal sunshade is a hypnotic sight with its undulating honeycombed canopy – said to be the world’s largest wooden-framed structure – and massive support trunks. Lifts run up from the basement to the top, where you can enjoy killer views from a winding walkway.

The structure, six years in the making, covers a former dead zone in Seville’s central district once filled by an ugly car park. Roman and Moorish ruins unearthed during excavation of the plaza were cleverly incorporated into the Parasol's foundations and are now on show at the Museo Antiquarium in the basement. The structure also houses the neighbourhood food market, the Mercado de la Encarnación, several cafes and tapas bars, and Plaza Mayor, a space designed to host open-air events and now a popular hangout for local kids.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Museo Antiquarium

0.01 MILES

Housed in the basement of the Metropol Parasol, this small museum showcases the ancient finds that were unearthed during excavation of the plaza. Raised…

2. Palacio de la Condesa de Lebrija

0.13 MILES

This aristocratic 16th-century mansion, set around a beautiful Renaissance-Mudéjar courtyard, boasts an eclectic look that blends a range of decorative…

3. Palacio de Las Dueñas

0.18 MILES

This gorgeous 15th-century palace was the favourite home of the late Duchess de Alba, one of Spain’s most prominent aristocrats. Renaissance in design, it…

4. Iglesia Colegial del Divino Salvador

0.22 MILES

Overlooking Plaza del Salvador, this baroque church was built between 1674 and 1712 on the site of Muslim Ishbiliya's main mosque. Its Mannerist red-brick…

5. Plaza del Salvador

0.23 MILES

This plaza, a popular early evening drinking hang-out, was once the forum of the ancient Roman city of Hispalis. It's dominated by the Iglesia Colegial…

6. Calle Sierpes

0.23 MILES

Pedestrianised Calle Sierpes, heading north from Plaza de San Francisco, and the parallel Calle Tetuán/Velázquez form the heart of Seville's main shopping…

7. Capilla de San José

0.27 MILES

For a blast of full-on baroque glitz, pop into this small church hidden away on a side street between Calles Sierpes and Tetuán. Behind its 18th-century…

8. Museo del Baile Flamenco

0.29 MILES

The brainchild of sevillana flamenco dancer Cristina Hoyos, this museum illustrates the dance with interactive displays, paintings, displays of period…