Alexander Fleming: an invitation to Seville and Cordoba

Just about every town and city in Andalucía appears to either have a Calle or Avenida Dr Fleming. The cities of Malaga, Seville and Cordoba, which the Scottish doctor visited in 1948, all honour the discoverer of penicillin. The street in Seville came about as a result of a visit the Nobel Prize winner made in 1948.

Born on 6 August 1881 in Ayrshire, Scotland, Fleming accidentally discovered penicillin in 1928 when he noticed mould on a contaminated Staphylococcus culture plate.

Twenty years after that historical discovery and three years after being awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1945, Sir Alexander Fleming visited Spain and his tour included visits to Seville and Cordoba.

The scientist and his wife stayed in Seville, having been invited by the city hall; he was declared guest of honour and a street was named after him.

Fleming visited the Royal Seville Academy of Sciences, where he received the academy's gold medal. He also visited the Las Cinco Llagas and Santa Caridad hospitals, the cathedral and the Royal Alcázar.

Newspaper articles from the time recount how a crowd began to gather near Cordoba's Roman bridge on 9 June to get a glimpse of the eminent visitor.

Waiting to greet Fleming was then mayor of the city, Rafael Salinas Anchelerga, along with a large group of local and Andalusian dignitaries.

His journey from the Roman bridge to the mosque was "made very difficult by the constant cheers of the crowd surrounding him, who enjoyed the privilege of seeing him up close, applauding and cheering him incessantly," according to an article in ABC de Córdoba which marked the 75th anniversary of Fleming's visit in 2023.

He was given an official reception at the city hall where he was named guest of honour and gave a brief speech in English and was presented with a traditional Cordovan hat.

Fleming also visited Barcelona and Madrid as part of his 1948 visit to Spain.