Metropol Parasol

Metropol Parasol was designed by the German architect Jurgen Mayer and completed in 2011 after years of delay and cost overruns, and Sevillanos call it Las Setas, the mushrooms, for its shape: six connected parasols of laminated timber on concrete cores, about twenty-six metres high and covering the whole square, among the largest timber structures anywhere. Excavation for an underground car park had uncovered Roman and Almohad remains, which is why the site sat derelict for decades; those are now displayed in the Antiquarium in the basement. A lift takes visitors to a walkway winding across the top with a view over the cathedral, the Giralda and the rooftops, and a bar at the summit level.

What you actually see

• The timber canopy - six connected parasols covering the whole square.
• The rooftop walkway - a winding path across the top with city views.
• The Antiquarium - Roman and Almohad remains in the basement.
• The market level - a covered market beneath the structure.

When to go

Spring and autumn for comfort; sunset from the walkway is the popular time and the ticket includes a drink at some rates. Summer heat on the exposed rooftop is severe in the middle of the day.

Honest expectations

The structure divides opinion sharply and many Sevillanos dislike it. The walkway is short and the ticket relatively expensive for the time spent. It is busiest at sunset, when queues form for the lift.

Nearby

Seville cathedral and the Alcazar are ten minutes south; the Casa de Pilatos lies east.