One of the most important films in the history of cinema was shot in this Spanish city.

The city of Seville is so fascinating that it has been the setting for numerous Hollywood films over the years, including some from the Star Wars franchise and the Mission: Impossible saga. But long before Natalie Portman and Hayden Christensen strolled through a Plaza de España that had become the capital of Naboo, the "Pearl of the Guadalquivir" hosted the filming of one of the most important films in the history of cinema: none other than Lawrence of Arabia .

The iconic film starring Peter O'Toole and directed by the great David Lean ( Doctor Zhivago ) is set during the First World War in the arid Arabian deserts, but the reality is that many of the film's sequences were filmed in Spain. The Lawrence of Arabia filming crew traveled to the Andalusian capital to shoot several scenes in some of the city's most fascinating monuments, which served as locations for this unforgettable feature film.

'Lawrence of Arabia' was filmed in Seville

In early 1962, the Lawrence of Arabia film set moved to Seville, completely revolutionizing the city. The interior courtyard located in the main building on Plaza de España was used as a bar for British Army officers in Cairo, while the beautiful Casino de la Exposición was used to recreate Damascus's town hall, as can be read on the Andalusian Regional Government website. Of course, scenes were not only filmed in those two locations; the crew also filmed in many other locations throughout the Andalusian city.

The film also features other iconic Seville locations, such as the Royal Alcázar, the Hotel Alfonso XIII (which was used as an officers' club), the Palace of Miguel de Mañara, and the Casa de Pilatos. The filming of Lawrence of Arabia in Seville lasted for weeks, attracted thousands of visitors, and employed hundreds of extras . Of course, the film, which would ultimately win seven Oscars, was not only filmed in the Andalusian capital but also in another of the most iconic locations in the south of the Iberian Peninsula.

Almería was also the setting for 'Lawrence of Arabia'

David Lean, Peter O'Toole, and the rest of the crew also spent weeks in the province of Almería, specifically in the Tabernas Desert, one of the most popular Spanish locations in cinema, especially in Western films . They also filmed some shots in Cabo de Gata, on Algarrobico beach, and in Nicolás Salmerón Park, located in Almería itself.

Although it appears that Officer Thomas Edward Lawrence is crossing the imposing dunes of the arid Arabian Peninsula, the reality is that the film features numerous locations in Seville and Almería that, thanks to the impressive 1962 feature film, have forever etched their names in cinematic history.

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