Plaza Mayor, Madrid, Spain
Posted by: 
manchanegra
N 40° 24.930 W 003° 42.445
30T E 439982 N 4474115
The Plaza Mayor was built during the Habsburg period and is a central plaza in the city of Madrid, Spain.
Waymark Code: WMBZ88
Location: Comunidad de Madrid, Spain
Date Posted: 07/07/2011
Views: 48
The Plaza Mayor was built during the Habsburg period and is a central plaza in the city of Madrid, Spain. It is located only a few blocks away from another famous plaza, the Puerta del Sol. The Plaza Mayor is rectangular in shape, measuring 129 by 94 metres, and is surrounded by three-storey residential buildings having 237 balconies facing the Plaza. It has a total of nine entranceways. The Casa de la Panadería, serving municipal and cultural functions, dominates the Plaza Mayor.
The origins of the Plaza go back to 1576 when Philip I asked Juan de Herrera, a renowned Classical architect, to discuss a plan to remodel the busy and chaotic area of the old Plaza del Arrabal. Juan de Herrera was the artist who designed the first project in 1560 to remodel the old Plaza del Arrabal but construction did not start until 1617, during Philip III's reign. The king asked Juan Gomez de Mora to continue with the project, and he finished the porticoes in 1619. Nevertheless, the Plaza Mayor as we know it today is the work of the architect Juan de Villanueva who was entrusted with its reconstruction in 1790 after a spate of big fires. Giambolognats equestrian statue of Philip III dates to 1616, but it was not placed in the centre of the square until 1848.
The Plaza Mayor has been the scene of multitudinous events: markets, bullfights, soccer games, public executions, and, during the Spanish Inquisition, "autos de fe" against supposed heretics and the executions of those condemned to death. The Plaza Mayor also has a ring of old and traditional shops and cafes under its porticoes. Celebrations for San Isidro, patron saint of Madrid, are also held here. The Plaza Mayor is now a major tourist attraction, visited by thousands of tourists a year.
Text from Wikipedia
Name of Source Book: 1,000 Places to See Before You Die, updated ed. (2010)
Page Location in Source Book: 272
Type of Waymark: Site
Location of Coordinates: Center of the Plaza
Cost of Admission (Parks, Museums, etc.): 0.00 (listed in local currency)
List Available Hours, Dates, Season:
24/7
Official Tourism Website: [Web Link]
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Visit Instructions:
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