Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir. The inhabitants of the city are known as sevillanos (feminine form: sevillanas) or hispalenses, following the Roman name of the city, Hispalis. The population of the city of Seville was 704,198 as of 2010, ranking as the fourth largest city of Spain. The population of the metropolitan area (urban area plus satellite towns) was 1,508,605 as of 2010.
The economic activity of Seville cannot be detached from the geographical and urban context of the city; the capital of Andalusia is the centre of a growing metropolitan area. Aside from traditional neighborhoods such as Santa Cruz, Triana and others, those further away from the centre, such as Nervión, Sevilla Este, and El Porvenir have seen recent economic growth. Over the past twenty years, this urban area has seen significant population growth and the development of new industrial and commercial parks. Due to its size and location, Seville is economically the strongest of the Andalusian cities. The infrastructure available in the city contributes to the growth of an economy dominated by the service sector, but in which industry still holds a considerable place.
The Alcázar, the Cathedral, and the Archivo General de Indias (General Archive of the Indies) are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The neighbourhood of Triana, placed in the west bank of the Guadalquivir River, played an important role in the history of the city and constitutes by itself a folk, monumental and cultural center. On the other hand, at the northern side of the city center is found La Macarena neighbourhood, with some religious and monumental remarks, such as the Museum and Basilica of La Macarena or the Hospital de las Cinco Llagas.
The most important art collection of Seville and Andalusia is the Museum of Fine Arts of Seville. It was established in 1835 in the former Convent of La Merced. It holds many masterworks by Murillo, Pacheco, Zurbarán, Valdés Leal, and others masters of the Baroque Sevillian School, containing also Flemish paintings of the 15th and 16th centuries.
Although it is not properly a park, most the Guadalquivir shores constitute a linear string of parks and green areas from Isabel II bridge to the Parque del Alamillo. The Chapina green, between Plaza de Armas bus station and Isabel II bridge, offers a nice view of Triana neighbourhood old quarter, and it is a popular zone for resting and sunbathing. La Cartuja rivershore has a well-developed shady river forest, panoramic piers, and floating walkways.
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