Part of "Games of Thrones" to film in Spain

The TV network HBO confirmed on Wednesday that part of the fifth series of the blockbusting show "Game of Thrones" is to be filmed in Spain.

The news means Spain will be the seventh different country or region to be used as a location for what is perhaps currently the most popular series in TV. Northern Ireland, Croatia, Morocco, Malta, Iceland and the United States have all hosted part of the filming of the series at one moment or another.

A communique from the network confirmed that filming will take place during the second half of 2014 in several locations in the province of Seville in the south of Spain with the city of Seville itself among those chosen.

The Mayor of Seville, Juan Ignacio Zoido, told Spanish media that he was "very content and satisfied."

"Seville is a special place, not just from the point of view of its buildings, but also because it has always shown faith in the film industry. We hope they are very happy in Seville, where the streets are an ideal set," he commented, adding that he hoped the arrival of the series would help create "thousands" of jobs.

Meanwhile, the Andalusia Film Commission also welcomed the news, which they believe "could be the biggest project ever to be filmed in Andalusia, above any other film or production which we have had."

Andalusia used to be famous as the location for the filming of so called "Spaghetti Westerns", such as "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly", which was filmed around the city of Almeria, while parts of the Tom Cruise film, "Night and Day" were shot in Seville, and scenes from the James Bond movie "Die Another Day" were filmed in Cadiz.