Seville Square
Seville Square is a park in historic downtown Pensacola that was the location of a 1752 Spanish outpost known as San Miguel. Under British occupation, it was laid out as a public square in the new city plan by Elias Durnford in 1764.
| Seville Square | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | historic site |
| Size | 1.7 acres |
| Facilities | gazebo, playground equipment, electricity panels |
| Operated by | City of Pensacola |
| Opened | 1814 |
| Location | Government Street (north) Zaragoza Street (south) Alcaniz Street (east) Adams Street (west) |
| <googlemap lat="30.409227" type="map" lon="-87.209698" zoom="16" width="288" height="180">
30.409477, -87.209795, Seville Square </googlemap> | |
Seville Square was designated as a public plaza by the Spanish in 1813. Over time, the square experienced the same deterioration suffered by the surrounding neighborhood, but in the last thirty years, has become the community center. The park is a frequent host to concerts and festivals.
A number of historic Pensacola buildings, like Old Christ Church and the Dorr House, face onto Seville Square. It is immediate north of Fountain Park and accessible to Bartram Park across Main Street.
Contents
FeaturesEdit
GazeboEdit
A gazebo at the center of the square is the main feature. It was constructed for the 1981 Galvez Bicentennial Celebration and dedicated on May 9 of that year to the memory of Mary Turner Rule Reed, who helped establish the Seville Square Historic District.
Childhood Reunion Group monumentEdit
A stone marker sponsored by the Seville Square Childhood Reunion Group sits in front of the gazebo. It was erected on June 3, 1990 and is "dedicated to all those who spent their youth in and around Seville Square."
Tree bracesEdit
Three "limb braces" carved by sculptors Mario Parra and Elizabeth Thompson (residents of Pensacola's sister city Escazu, Costa Rica) are used to support the large branches of the park's live oak trees. The braces were carved from the trunk of the massive Christmas cedar, formerly at the intersection of Palafox and Garden Streets, that had to be taken down after sustaining damage in Hurricane Ivan.[1]
Other amenitiesEdit
A swing set with two child seats is located near the southwest corner of the square. In addition, there are a number of electrical terminals located throughout the park, used by vendors and craft booths during the various festivals that are held there.
Selected FestivalsEdit
- JazzFest (April)
- Earth Day Pensacola in April
- Fiesta Run (May)
- Evenings in Old Seville Square (May through August)
- Sertoma 4th of July Celebration
- Pensacola Seafood Festival (September)
- Greater Gulf Coast Arts Festival (November)
- Pensacola Christmas Market at Seville Square (December)
See alsoEdit
ImagesEdit
The gazebo receives a ramp upgrade in 2007 for handicap access.
Tree braces
