Christopher Columbus not only discovered the New World, but he was also the first European to see tobacco. During the mid-16th century, Spanish colonists established plantations and began importing the crop home. By 1614, Seville was the world’s tobacco capital. In 1728, King Ferdinand VI commissioned Sebastián Van Bocht to build the world’s largest industrial building (607 x 571 feet) surrounded by a moat (in the foreground). After it was completed in 1771, the Royal Tobacco Factory produced 75% of the cigars smoked in Europe. In 1953, the Old Tobacco Factory became the main building for the University of Seville. Over 73,000 students attend Universidad de Sevilla.
