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One of the most iconic sagas that the entertainment world has had has been Star Wars. Although the premiere of his first film was several decades ago, this saga continues in the hearts of his fans; Even May 4 is known around the world as Star Wars Day. Now, many areas have become the thematic setting for many of these films, and one of them is the Plaza de España in Seville.
The Star Wars saga has employed the use of multiple locations around the world
Over the years, Star Wars productions have used multiple major sites across the globe to shoot scenes for their movies. For example, to recreate the planet Tatooine, Tunisia was chosen as the recording area; in turn, an island in Ireland was the perfect location for Luke Skywalker’s retirement to be recorded.
On the other hand, the use of the Sequoia National Park has been used to film the Star Wars: Ewoks series. In it, these characters, who were previously shown in Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi, are explored in depth. Now, in Spain, specifically Seville, there was the opportunity to record one of the most remembered and appreciated scenes of the entire saga.
Seville’s Plaza de España, a perfect setting for Star Wars
Arguably the most important role that the Plaza de España in Seville has is in a fragment that makes up the second part of the trilogy that serves as a prequel. By September 2000, George Lucas and his entire team were able to enter the Andalusian capital with the intention of recording the scene in which Senator Amidala arrived in Naboo.
Since the Plaza de España was chosen, some of the main actors were passing through the area, including Natalie Portman and Hayden Christiansen. It took 48 hours to record what was later two minutes of footage. However, those two days were of great commotion in the area. Roughly 7,000 people tried to land a supporting role, but only 50 had the chance.
It is true that this scene is not one of the most exciting moments in the film; However, the fact that the Plaza de España appears is a feature that helps the viewer travel and feel like on another planet. In addition, in the scene the architectural ensemble that distinguishes the city can be appreciated.
The scene from the Star Wars movie in Seville
For those who do not remember the scene very well, it begins with a ship that is landing on the planet Naboo (which, in this case, would be the Plaza de España). Then, the image of the place is seen, with the source as a prominent element. Immediately, Anakin, Padme, and R2D2 are seen walking around, while Anakin talks about what he thinks about the palace and Padme mentions how beautiful it would be to live there.
Afterwards, they are seen in the next scene as they climb the stairs of one of the bridges in the square. Additionally, the fountain can still be seen as the background image, while in the conversation Padme continues to talk about her experience as the youngest queen on Naboo.
Finally, the last scene shows us how they walk through the corridors that are inside the building. Padme continues to talk about her childhood, her parents and what the experience of politics has been like in her younger years. The scene ends with a few words from Anakin saying that the Republic needs Padme.
It only lasts for a few minutes, and even so, you can enjoy the beauty of the Plaza de España in Seville. It is also true that the conversations are not relevant to the plot of the film. Still, George Lucas made sure that a setting like the Naboo Palace was filmed in a unique location, as is the setting of the Spanish Steps.
History and architecture on the Plaza de España
The square is located specifically in the Parque de María Luisa, in Seville. It was designed by Aníbal González since 1914, and was erected as the main building in the Ibero-American Exposition, its construction ended in 1929. It has about 170 meters in diameter, in addition to an area that covers 50,000 m2 of surface.
It has a semi-elliptical shape, which represents the embrace that Spain gives to its former territories that are in America. In turn, it has 4 bridges, there is a central building, several towers at the ends and a fountain in the central area.
Now, it could be said that the most unique and attractive element are the walls of the square. These have 48 benches decorated with tiles, which symbolize the 48 provinces that Spain has (Except for the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands and Seville). Each of them has its own map, shield and tile, and they present outstanding facts of history.
Another of the most outstanding and attractive elements of the square is its channel of approximately 500 meters in length. This is covered by several bridges, and you can even take a boat ride through this canal.
The Plaza de España in other productions
It is worth noting that Star Wars has not been the only film that has used this place in its scenes. Seville has been the scene of great films on multiple occasions. Among them are The Dictator and Lawrence of Arabia.
In any case, there is no doubt that, by taking a tour of the Plaza de España in Seville, you can enjoy a unique experience. In addition, anyone who is a Star Wars fan will not only imagine that he is in Spain, but that he is in nothing less than the planet Naboo.
