Marrakech – The Morocco Pavilion, one of the iconic buildings constructed for Seville’s 1929 Ibero-American Exposition, has recently been the target of vandalism and theft, according to Spanish media reported on Friday.
The pavilion, which was transferred to the Pablo de Olavide University (UPO) last December to expand its campus facilities, was unoccupied at the time of the incident.
Sources from the university stated that the damage was discovered on Friday, after unknown individuals forced open the door, stole various electrical materials and wiring from inside, and damaged a portion of the property.
The Morocco Pavilion, located on Avenida de Moliní opposite María Luisa Park, is a public domain property that was ceded to the UPO by the Seville City Council for a period of 75 years.
The UPO has sent an architect, a quantity surveyor, and two technicians to assess the extent of the damage and has filed a report with the National Police.
The university plans to develop a cultural, academic, social, and internationalization project at the site.
Presented nearly a century ago as an abstract project not designed for any specific exhibition, the Pavilion aimed to capture the environment of life in Morocco, with its minarets, lattices, domes, extremely white canvases, and the composition of parapets, cornices, and openings.
The building is organized around a central courtyard and five halls, including a Moorish hall and four exhibition rooms illuminated by skylights.
The UPO’s project for the new headquarters includes actions in three main areas, covering cultural and social activities such as exhibitions, conferences, performances, and concerts; academic activities for faculty and ongoing training programs; and international cooperation initiatives aimed primarily at Latin America.
Authorities are currently investigating the break-in and theft at the Morocco Pavilion, with the police having identified two individuals as alleged perpetrators of the damage.
The university has taken immediate measures to ensure that the building is now under private surveillance to prevent further incidents.
The incident draws parallels to a similar case last year at the Casino of the Exposition, which was vandalized due to a lack of building security. Local police were required to provide 24-hour guard duty until private security could be hired.
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