From the time of the conquest in the year 1248 until the XVI century the City Counsel and the Eclesiastic Counsel celebrated the victory in the Elm Grove where today the Plaza de la virgen de los Reyes stands).

In 1527, largely due to the presence of Carlos I in Seville, the construction of the present Townhall was begun by the architect Diego de Riaño.

In 1533 the annual celebrations were moved to the Townhall. The main entryway and the Meeting Chamber were finished in 1572.

The facade facing the Plaza de San Francisco, built by Demetrio de los Rios, was started in 1862 and was finished in 1876. New construction on the building.was begun 1890 and again in 1920.

The old part of the facade is an excellent example of plateresque architecture. Most notable are the Ojival-Plateresque foyer, the vaulted ceiling of the Meeting Chamber, built with smooth stone and divided into sections by statues of the Kings of Spain, and the main stairs with its vaulted ceiling. The townhall also has an important art gallery inside.

Sevilla’s townhall played an important role in trade and commerce with the West Indies, about midway throught the XVIII century, King Felipe V proclaimed that the municipal laws should follow the Sevillan model in all of America. In fact, many mayors from Seville were sent as Governors and Nobleman with governmental power to run the cities Sevillan style in administration and government.

As a piece of interesting trivia, in 1508, only 16 years after the discovery of America, a Sevillano named Diego de Esquivel, who went with Columbus on his 2nd voyage, founded a city on the island of Jamaica and called it Nueva Sevilla or New Seville.