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The 1992 Universal Exhibition or Expo '92, officially the 1992 Seville Universal Exhibition (in Spanish) was held on 20 April in Seville, Spain, on the island of La Cartuja. The exhibition had as its theme "The Era of the Discovery" and celebrated the discovery of America.

For the occasion several access roads were built to the city, including the motorways Madrid-Seville and Seville-Cádiz. A new station has been built in the centre of the Andalusian capital, from which the trains of the high-speed railway line between Madrid and Seville, created for the occasion, and the regional trains to the exhibition site have since left. Seville-San Pablo Airport has been expanded and connected to the city centre by a new motorway section. The Guadalquivir Darst has been recreused northward and its shores have been developed. Six new bridges have since crossed it. Downstream, the port area has been adapted and improved. The former monastery of Sainte-Marie des Grottes has been restored and other buildings have been built, such as the theatre of the Maestranza, a palace of congresses and exhibitions, an auditorium, several hotels and administrative buildings.

The summer heat of Seville was controlled on the exhibition site by digging a lake, placing dozens of fountains, canals, aqueducts, waterfalls and mist, planting thousands of trees and shrubs and placing pergolas, tents and parasols.

More than 100 countries were represented, as were all the Spanish Autonomous Communities, many international organizations and several national and multinational enterprises. There were thematic pavilions and numerous exhibitions of painting, sculpture and archaeological objects. Several scenes were scattered on the exhibition site and in the city centre. They offered dance performances (including salsa and flamenco), symphonic music, jazz, rock and Latin music, musicals, operas, plays, humorous shows, children's entertainment and fashion shows. Numerous conferences, seminars and debates were also held.

The influx, with almost visitors, exceeded expectations. Since the closing of the Exhibition, part of the park has been recycled into a science and technology park, Cartuja 93, and the amusement park Isla Mágica occupies another part. Companies have settled in some of the pavilions but many others have been destroyed or left behind.

Application and award
As Spain goes through a difficult social and economic period, King Juan Carlos announces, during a visit to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, that the country intends to organize a universal exhibition in order to show the world, as the celebrations of the