Teatro de la Maestranza

Located in the Arenal district of Sevilla, the Teatro de la Maestranza faces the Guadalquivir River which, long ago, was the centre of all military and commercial activities in the city. Between 1503 and 1680 it was the port of departure and arrival for the fleets sailing to the New World, a time when Seville monopolized economic trade with the Americas and the Philippines.  The construction of the Teatro de la Maestranza started in 1986 with a competition organized by the Diputación de Sevilla (Seville Provincial Council). The Diputación owned the site of the former military barracks. The idea was to provide the city with a 'Palacio de la Cultura' made up of a multipurpose auditorium, an exhibition space, and a documentary resource centre with research and cultural studies areas.