Evening star., 1925-02-19
SEVILLE TO STAGE
BIG SHOW IN 1927
United States Invited to Par
ticipate in Exposition on
Spanish Soil.

Seville, Spain. is to be the scene Nof
an lbero-American exposition in
l927. The United States has been in
rited to participate.
Seville might be called the foster
mother of the New World" says a
bulletin from headquarters here of
the National Geographic Society.
Seville was one of the favorite
residence cities of Ferdinand and
Isabella, and there Columbus dis
cussed with them his epoch making
voyage to the west. When he sailed
1t was from Palos, a few miles from
the mouth of the Guadalquivir, on
tho lower reaches of which Seville
lies, and in later years he sailed
from or returned to San Lucar, a sort
of outlying port of Seville, where
the Guadalquivir meets the sea.
Seville in Major Role.
LAS soon as the exploitation of the
New World began in earnest it was
Seville that played the major role.
There Most of the expeditions were
arranged, sailing either from the
river port itself or from San Lucar.
To control the New World trade, the
Spanish Severeigns gave Seville a
monopoly, and into this city poured
the treasure that the galleons
brought across the sea, and from it
land. 1t became the richest port in
Spain, and remained so for about two
centuries, when. due to the sitting of
the Guadalquivir, Cadiz surpassed it.
ITO most readers of history and
geography one of the fascinating fea-
lures of Spain is its mixture of Cas-
tilian and Moorish factors. Nowhere
are the results of this union of the
two diverse civilizations seen to bet
n1 h-,,
the metropolis of the South, the
pearl of Andalusia.'
LIkcned to Granada's AIhnmbra.
Though Granada's Alhambra prob
ably surpases Seville's Alcazar, there
1t at most only a minor gulf of archi-
tectural excellence and beauty be-
tween these two great masterpieces
of the Moorish palace builders; and in
other architectural features Seville
is fairly saturated in a Moorish at
mosphere. The patio, the contribu-
ton of the Moors, reaches its greatest
development in Seville; there is hard
ly a dwelling of any consequence not
provided with it's open courtyard.
Moorish windows and doors. Moorish
pillars. and the bright, colorful tile
work in which Moorish artisans ex-
III celled are encountered on every side.
Under the Moors Seville was a sort
Of Utopia of luxury. Beautiful pal
aces were built, the streets were
paved and lighted, dwellings were ar
tifcially heated in Winter, and the
more luxurious residents cooled their
houses in Summer with air piped from
flower gardens that it might be scent
ed as we'll The libraries of the city
drew scholars from all Europe, chem
lists worked in it's halls of learning,
tronomers of no mean ability studied
the stars. Music, art and literature
houriShed.
Now Flourishing Port.
NO wonder a city with such tradi-
tions produced in later years Velas-
uuez. a Murillo and Cervaptes, or
harbored such adventurous travellers
las Columbus, Magellan and the
Pizarros.
"Seville-or properly, 'Sevilla,' for
the English language has taken I'D
critics with the city's name-has re-
turned to its rank of Importance in
southern Spain and is today -four
ishing port as well as a great city.
Its population is about 100000, max
Ing it Spain's fourth city. 1t is sur
passed in size by Madrid, Barcelona
and Valencia, but by the latter with
only a small margin. 1t lies 81 miles
up the Guadalquivir River from the
Gulf of Cadiz, well within tide water,
and, thanks to modern dredging and
channel Strengthening, ships of 1000
tons reach it's extensive quays.
Crooked Alleys, Broad Avenues.
"The older part of Seville bears a
strong impress of it's Moorish past
close-set white houses, overhanging
balconies, glimpses of orange shaded
patios and splashing fountains; mar
row streets that double and twist and
seem to lead nowhere. Those with a
modicum of romance and curiosity in
their makeups will love to poke about
In old Seville, treadinG, perhaps, in