The Plaza Mayor is located in the heart of Madrid, just a few metres from the Puerta del Sol and the Royal Palace. It was designed by Juan de Herrera and Juan Gómez de Mora in Baroque style and is one of the must-see sights in Madrid.
Madrid’s Plaza Mayor is 129 metres long by 94 metres wide and is surrounded by arcades and three-storey brick buildings. Throughout Madrid’s history, the Plaza Mayor has been a place for meetings, announcements and civil celebrations. It is also loaded with commemorative plaques, historical sites and other symbols of great value.
Several architects were involved in the construction of the square, including Juan de Herrera and Juan Gómez de Mora, who were the real driving forces behind the project. With the passage of time and the various fires it has suffered, the Plaza Mayor has been rebuilt and refurbished on several occasions throughout history. To get to the Plaza Mayor, you can use the different access gates that surround the square, each with its own special charm.
In the 15th century, the Plaza Mayor was called Plaza del Arrabal, which was replaced by other names such as Plaza de la Constitución, Plaza Real and Plaza de la República. The current name has been preserved since the end of the Civil War.
Points of interest in the square
In Madrid’s Plaza Mayor there are three places of special interest:
- Statue of Philip III: created in 1616 by Juan de Bolonia and Pietro Tacca, it was a gift from the Duke of Florence to the Spanish king. It was in the Casa de Campo until the middle of the 19th century.
- Casa de la Panadería: this is the most important building and was the first to begin construction in 1590. Initially it was the most important bakery in Madrid. The façade is decorated by Carlos Franco.
- Arco de Cuchilleros: this arch is the best known of the nine access gates to the Plaza Mayor. The name comes from the street it connects with, Calle Cuchilleros.
The Plaza Mayor at Christmas
For almost 150 years, at Christmas time the Plaza Mayor in Madrid has been filled with stalls selling Christmas items, jokes and costumes of all kinds. Although it is possible to see shops in the Plaza Mayor all year round, at this special time of year they are even more carefully decorated and take on a different kind of beauty.
