Expo 92, Seville, Spain, December 2017

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HughieD

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1. The History
Seville has now hosted the Expo twice in its history. The first time was in 1929 when Plaza de Espana was built as the Pabellon de Andalucia. Sixty-three years later the Universal Exposition of Seville (Expo '92) took place in 1992 between April 20th and October 12th, on La Isla de La Cartuja. Subtitled "The Age of Discovery", over 100 countries participated on the 215-hectare site which saw over 41,000 visitors over a five-and-a-half-month period. Organized to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the discovery of the Americas by Christopher Columbus (1492-1992), the expo was initially to be a jointly held event with Chicago, but the US city dropped out due to financial issues.

The Expo was ground-breaking in many ways. ‘Pavilions’ were at the heart of the Expo and included the ‘Royal Pavilion’ and five thematic pavilions; Navigation, Discovery, Nature, Environment, and the Fifteenth Century. To offset the costs of developing nations a special monumental structure, the 'Plaza de Americas', was constructed, consisting of a large enclosed Plaza-type building, to allow maximum participation from developing states from African. The hot summer temperatures were eased using a microfilter water air conditioning system which was used throughout the site, along the main avenues and streets. Visitors were sprayed with cool mist in various locations, and could make use of the numerous fountains and wading pools to cool off.

After the Expo, many of the Pavilions were dismantled, and today the site is divided between a research and development park called Cartuja 93 and a theme park called Isla Mágica, the 'Magic Island', which also hosts the popular Pavilion of Spain. However, many the buildings are still to find new uses and lie in a state of semi-abandonment or moth-balling.

2. The Explore
Had this list as soon as I’d booked the flights to Seville. It’s a massive site and you could quite easily spend a whole day searching things out. Think I managed to cover the lion’s share of the site but on reflection now, there were some bits I missed. Overall, an interesting and relaxed ‘explore’.

3. The Pictures
The first thing you see it the massive detailed copy of the Ariane rocket:

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39356018022_b2a5b5c02b_b.jpgimg4291 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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39355582592_800733aa63_b.jpgimg4310 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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27615694969_0a8a5e5d81_b.jpgimg4328 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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27615669179_072d25bf32_b.jpgimg4329 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Next to it is the massive “Auditorium”. This was secure, but I did climb a bank and get under the fencing. However once under the fence it was clear wild dogs close-by, so I bottled it.

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24520577767_48801e8a54_b.jpgimg4282 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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24520518547_06fb1b3e65_b.jpgimg4283 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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25516147108_832416d385_b.jpgimg4284 by HughieDW, on Flickr

An old map:

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39355943042_4cdc93fb38_b.jpgimg4296 by HughieDW, on Flickr

…and the symbol of Expo92 on an iron manhole cover:

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27615609459_b122f7778a_b.jpgimg4333 by HughieDW, on Flickr

The next point of interest was the old Monorail Terminus which is in a pretty sorry state:

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27608985639_ec8246e791_b.jpgimg4290 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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24519978747_4beb79f913_b.jpgimg4311 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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27608531479_c83dd5b2bb_b.jpgimg4313 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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39355489622_c33644ee79_b.jpgimg4314 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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24519857097_5ca681b46a_b.jpgimg4319 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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38515050975_1b798cd6a6_b.jpgimg4321 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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38684896804_15262566d9_b.jpgimg4322 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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38683815774_f2ec87c8ce_b.jpgimg4356 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Walkways outside the Auditorium:

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38508064685_5312297b0c_b.jpgimg4298 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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27608631779_72db025c45_b.jpgimg4306 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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38507836255_f3f267200d_b.jpgimg4308 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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25521688568_81741dd420_b.jpgimg4354 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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The elongated “Energy” pavilion. I couldn’t get near this as there was a lot of building work going on here:
27608775229_3e29161fe6_b.jpgimg4299 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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39361721462_684ed0e436_b.jpgimg4357 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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38508010735_c01bc8dea4_b.jpgimg4300 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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39362328202_3afe6ccecb_b.jpgimg4343 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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25515791498_8f8db1129e_b.jpgimg4302 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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38677361344_79df8f8fb3_b.jpgimg4305 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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25522236348_623ac834a5_b.jpgimg4342 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Satellite sculpture:

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27608683129_4e76009a66_b.jpgimg4303 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Next up is the “Palm Avenue” with its many water-features and the distinctive Biosphere:

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25522492678_3d69a0b6b9_b.jpgimg4331 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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24527067857_477ea5e95b_b.jpgimg4338 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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24527039307_3dca505a2e_b.jpgimg4340 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Finally, it was on to the Guadalquivir Gardens:

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38514456435_5ddb2b37d8_b.jpgimg4344 by HughieDW, on Flickr

…where the Banesto “Sky” Tower can be found:

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27615110479_039305bece_b.jpgimg4347 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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38683892114_838ed62943_b.jpgimg4353 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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38684105064_b77e7f7905_b.jpgimg4348 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Came across this place, the former Siemens building, at sunset on a later day but wished I’d discovered it earlier:

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38683710374_053baf1bcc_b.jpgimg4890 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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27614632629_f207d355b4_b.jpgimg4892 by HughieDW, on Flickr

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39361586892_d60dbc122d_b.jpgimg4893 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Finally, one of the many ‘sails’ towers around the edge of the site:

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38683563324_109039146e_b.jpgimg4895 by HughieDW, on Flickr
 
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Some nice feature there, I find that its the same whenever a country hosts the Olympics or an Expo, they spend loads of money to build it with interesting features and then, when its over they just leave it to rot away. Could have done something with the pool.
 
Prob my favourite report from you this year hughie.well tied with the ufo houses cracking shots and place and another seemingly waste of money
 
Thats pretty cool place, I would love to take my bike for a session on all that urban stuff ;-)
Beautifully captured as always!
 
Prob my favourite report from you this year hughie.well tied with the ufo houses cracking shots and place and another seemingly waste of money

Cheers mate. Much appreciated. Two unique places those...

Cracker Hughie, Loved It, Thanks

Many thanks Mr Smiler!

Thats pretty cool place, I would love to take my bike for a session on all that urban stuff ;-)
Beautifully captured as always!

Cheers BG. You're bike will come in really handy as it's a massive site.
 
Wow this is a stunning collection of photos. It really works well with the sun setting and the feeling of these buildings being stuck in time. Great work!
 

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