Preface - Seville: A legacy of enchantment The idea for this book was born while admiring the splendorous Plaza de España, something I have enjoyed on numerous occasions over the last 30 years. This inspirational collection of architecture, one of the largest and most impressive in Seville, was constructed for the world exhibition that the city hosted in 1929, an event that changed the face of the city centre and pinned Seville on the world map. But it was not the elegance and beauty of this area, known as the Venice of Seville, that inspired me, but the thought of what Seville would be like without it. My fascination with Seville began many years ago while researching the art of flamenco and the people who best perform it, the Andalusian Gypsies. This was a time when I relied on the writings of Richard Ford, the 19 th century English travel writer known for his books about Spain; and George Borrow, another Englishman whose books, The Bible in Spain , and The Zincali, were ...