Plaza Mayor, located in Habsburg Madrid, is one of the most popular squares in Madrid. The Square is a lively place, where you can stop for a drink or to try the fried squid sandwiches they serve in some bars around. On summer nights, Plaza Mayor is crowded with people sitting on the ground, while in winter the Christmas market invades the whole square. And on Sunday mornings, throughout the year, there are stamp and coin stands.
History of the Plaza Mayor
Since the 13th century a “Plaza Mayor” can be found in every city and town in Spain. There were created in order to house the market, festivities, the city council and the courts. In Madrid, the place chosen for this purpose was the current Plaza de la Villa, as the current Plaza Mayor used only to be orchards outside of the city limits at that time.
In the 15th century the city expanded to the East up until the current Puerta del Sol and the Arrabal square, now better known as the “Plaza Mayor”, was born.
The Casa de la Panaderia was built in the sixteenth century, and it was around this building that the square as we know it was erected. The function of this building was to hold the main bakery of the town, which fixed the price of bread so that even the poorest of residents could afford to buy it.
Plaza Mayor in 1656, Texeira map.
In 1619 the Plaza Mayor was erected with a project from the architect Juan Gómez de Mora and reformed by Juan de Herrera (architect of El Escorial Monastery).
Since then there have been numerous festivities in the square: markets, bullfights, Autos de Fe of the Inquisition and even a battle and a mutiny against King Charles III. Also there have been several fires and major renovations, such as the one of 1791, by Juan de Villanueva (architect of the Prado Museum Building).
Equestrian statue of Philip III
Philip III was king of Spain from 1598 to 1621. This bronze statue was created in 1616 and moved to its current location in Plaza Mayor in 1846.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
- El Madrid de los Austrias – José del Corral
- Atlas Ilustrado de la Historia de Madrid – Pedro López Carcelen
- Estatuas de Madrid, monumentamadrid Vol I – Colección Libros Ayuntamiento de Madrid
