PLAZA MAYOR

Description

Essentials about Plaza Mayor in brief

Madrid is a city full of beautiful and monumental squares. However, the undisputed “king” among the squares of the Spanish capital is Plaza Mayor (Main Square). A visit to the square, located in the heart of the old town, should not be missed on any trip to Madrid. Because of its size of over 12,000 square meters and its architecture with a complete building on all four sides, Plaza Mayor is absolutely unique among the squares of Madrid.

The layout of Plaza Mayor

The layout of Plaza Mayor is exceptional among the squares of the Spanish capital. It is a 129-meter long and 94-meter wide rectangular square completely surrounded by four-story residential buildings. These have 237 balconies, all facing the square. Plaza Mayor has nine entrances, the most famous of which is the Arco de Cuchilleros (Arch of the Knife Grinders), located in the southwesternmost corner.

In the middle of the north side of the square rises probably the oldest and most famous building of the square: the Casa de la Panadería (House of the Bakery). Opposite it, on the south side, is the Casa de la Carnicería (Butcher’s House), built a little later. Under the arcades, which run around the square and are supported by granite pillars, there are numerous restaurants and pubs as well as some stores.

The history of Plaza Mayor

The origins of Plaza Mayor date back to the 15th century. At that time, Calle de Toledo and Calle de Atocha converged here in front of the medieval city, and they held the main market of the city in this place, which was then called Plaza del Arrabal. During this period, a commodity exchange was built as the first house with porticoes to regulate trade in the market.

After the royal court was moved to Madrid in 1561, King Philip II commissioned the architect Juan de Herrera to remodel the square in 1580. First, the so-called “casas de manzanas” (“apple houses”) of the old square were demolished. The construction of the first building of the new square, the Casa de la Panadería, was started (on the place of the former commodity exchange) probably still in 1590. At the beginning of the 17th century, Philip III commissioned the architect Juan Gómez de Mora to complete the square, which was finished in 1619.

Plaza Mayor has been affected by three major fires in its history, in 1631, 1672 and 1790, and was subsequently rebuilt. The fire of 1790 was the worst. It destroyed a third of the entire square – only the Casa de la Panadería was spared. The last reconstruction was led by Juan de Villanueva (who also built the Museo del Prado), who reduced the height of the houses surrounding the square from six to four stories, closed the square at its corners and built the nine access arches. The reconstruction lasted until 1854 and was completed after Villanueva’s death by his two students, Antonio López Aguado and Custodio Moreno.

Finally, in 1848, the equestrian statue in honor of Philip III was erected in the center of the square. It is a work of the Italian Pietro Tacca and was already completed in 1616.

The functions of Plaza Mayor

Throughout history, Plaza Mayor has been used for many purposes. Markets, popular festivals, bullfights, soccer matches, theater performances and public exhibitions were held here. During the Spanish Inquisition, alleged heretics were publicly punished in the plaza in the so-called “autodafés” (usually by being burned at the stake). Celebrations in honor of San Isidros, the patron saint of Madrid, also take place in Plaza Mayor. Last but not least, every December the square is the venue of the traditional Christmas market.

The Casa de la Panadería

With its two towers and painted facade, the Casa de la Panadería is the main eye-catcher in Plaza Mayor. Built at the end of the 16th century, the “baker’s house” once served as the main bakery of the city of Madrid, which set the price of bread so that even the city’s poor could afford it. After different uses as royal lodging and seat of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, the building now houses Madrid’s tourist information center. Incidentally, the murals that now adorn the Casa de la Panadería are 20th century works and depict mythological figures such as the goddess Cybele, closely linked to Madrid’s history.