This bombastic plaza, designed by architect Aníbal González in the Parque de María Luisa, was the most extravagant of the building projects completed for the 1929 Exposición Iberoamericana. A vast brick-and-tile confection, it's all very over the top, but it's undeniably impressive with its flamboyant neo-Mudéjar architecture, fountains, and Venetian-style bridges. A series of ceramic tile panels depict maps and historical scenes from each Spanish province.
You can hire row boats to ply the canal that skirts the plaza for €6 (for 35 minutes).