Description of the attraction
San Telmo is a magnificent old building located in Seville on Avenida de Roma, which today is the seat of the administration of the Andalusian Autonomous Community. The construction of the building has been carried out since 1682 with funds allocated by the Inquisition. The outstanding architect Leonardo de Figueroa took part in the development of the building project. Initially, the building housed a navigation school for orphaned sailors. From the middle of the 19th century, the palace became the residence of the Infanta Maria Luisa Ferdinanda and her wife, the Duke de Montpensier. After some time, the Infanta Louise Ferdinanda presented the palace to the Archbishop of Seville. In 1992, the Andalusian government bought the building and placed its headquarters here.
The magnificent San Telmo Palace is a prime example of the late Seville Baroque. In the plan, this building, made in warm beige and terracotta tones, has a square shape, towers crowned with graceful spiers rise at the corners. Like most buildings from that era, the San Telmo Palace has a courtyard that is quite spacious and tree-lined. The most prominent part of the building is its main portal, created in the Churrigueresco style, a variation of the Spanish late Baroque. The magnificent carved portal, attached to the building in 1754, is decorated with a statue of Saint Telmo - the patron saint of all seafarers. Made of white stone, overloaded with architectural and sculptural elements, the portal contrasts sharply with the overall appearance of the palace. The portal was designed by Matias and Antonio Matias, the son and grandson of Leonardo de Figueroa. The facade of the building is decorated with 12 statues of famous people of Seville.
