How did the cities of Seville and Kansas City become sisters?
Everyone is curious that in Seville there is an avenue called Kansas City, referring to the American city.
The name of this avenue does not come as a result of casuity or arbitrariness, Seville and Kansas City have had a close relationship over the last 50 years, born of a common interest in art and architecture.
Everything was born as a result of the visit that the architect Edward Buehler Delk made to our city in the beginning of the XX century, in search of inspiration for a future architectural project that consisted of a commercial center inspired by the Spanish and Mexican style. After make a tour for Mexico and South America, Edward arrived in Spain, where he instantly fell in love with Seville.
After the completion of his most famous creation, the “Country Club Plaza” shopping center, Edward wanted to add to his work a replica of the Giralda and the Plaza de la Virgen de los Reyes in Seville. Although it was not possible at the time, and despite dying in the 50’s, his son picked up his legacy and 10 years later built what his father had wanted so much.
The Giralda from “Country Club Plaza” in Kansas City, under construction (1967).
Coinciding the construction of this replica with the birth of the “Sisters Cities International”, Seville became the first city to twin with Kansas City. According to the words of the American mayor at that time “the two cities have great similarities in their economic, social, educational and cultural interests” and “both are centers of art, science, libraries and universities and have great livestock fairs.”
At the root of this twinning, Seville and Kansas City had a fluid commercial and cultural relationship in the next 20 years. Although this was decreasing with the passage of time, it returned to importance with the Universal Exhibition Of Seville in 1992, where Kansas had a prominent paper in the pavilion of the United States. From that event Seville received the gift of “The explorer” from the North American city.
Over the years, sister cities seem to have significantly diminished their relationships, or at least today we have no news of the contrary.
Last year was the 50th anniversary of this brotherhood, which we hope will continue for much longer as only positive things have been born of it. As promulgated by the motto of the association Sisters Cities International, the guilds “Promote peace through mutual respect, understanding and cooperation”
Country Club Plaza in Kansas City
D.O.D
