Madrid’s
Plaza Mayor is the quintessential heart of Madrid
de los Austrias, the most castizo (traditional)
part of the city, built up during the Habsburg Dynasty. Walking here and around the adjacent streets,
you might think you were in some anonymous
Spanish village rather than a city with over three million inhabitants.
Habsburg
borough, where Madrid’s Plaza Mayor is located, represents the historic center of the city which is
closely linked to the cultural identity of the Spanish capital. It is far
removed from the image of traffic jams, bustle and honking horns many people have
of Madrid.
The best way to get to
Madrid’s Plaza Mayor is getting off at Opera Metro Station (Lines 2 and 5), Sol
Metro Station (Lines 1, 2 and 3) and Sol train Station.
The origins of Madrid’s Plaza Mayor
In the
Middle Ages, what is now Madrid’s Plaza Mayor was the Plaza del
Arrabal, a large asymmetrical space outside
the city walls where all types of
products were traded. As the little town grew
increasingly urban, Philip II ordered construction of Madrid’s Plaza Mayor, a new square fit for
the capital of an empire. The
project was later set in motion by Philip III.
Madrid’s
Plaza Mayor is inspired by the Monastery of El Escorial. Juan Gómez de Mora drew up plans for the area around the Casa de la Panadería, the initial heart of the
square designed by Diego Sillero. The Casa
de la Panadería is in traditional Madrid style: slate roof tiles and a
façade with two towers topped by pinnacles.
Anyway, walls of the Casa de la Panadería don’t feature that
typical mix of red and gray that we see all along
Madrid’s Plaza Mayor and Habsburg borough. This is because
last century the building was decorated
with murals at the
request of the City Council.
The building of Madrid’s Plaza Mayor has
served various functions, acting as the city bakery, the Royal Academy of Arts and the Royal Academy of
History. It now houses the Madrid Tourist Board.
The other buildings
of Madrid’s Plaza Mayor each had five
floors, the porticos were made of wood and the square was not
completely closed. The square suffered several
fires, the worst of which occurred in 1790. The only
building of Madrid’s Plaza Mayor salvaged was the Casa de la Panadería, which served as a model for the
rebuilding carried out by Juan de Villanueva,
another of Madrid’s great architects.
Madrid’s Plaza Mayor: today and tomorrow
Madrid’s
Plaza Mayor as it appears today differs from the appearance it had in the old
days, and the current look is the result of this rebuilding. It is now closed,
its buildings have three floors, the porticos are made of granite and the walls are
plastered red. The roofs of Madrid’s Plaza Mayor are slate covered and the
entrances are topped with big archs.
Throughout
history, Madrid’s Plaza Mayor has hosted a variety of events: bullfights,
crowded auto-da-fés during the Inquisition, the canonization
of San Isidro
and royal coronations, such as that of
Philip III. Madrid’s Plaza Mayor
currently hosts concerts, fairs and markets,
such as the one held every Christmas.
In the
center of Madrid’s Plaza Mayor stands a statue of Philip III on
horseback. The political skills of this king were indifferent but he is
remembered as the first king born in Madrid and a driving force behind the construction of Madrid’s Plaza Mayor.
In the
future, there will be some changes in Madrid’s Plaza Mayor. The Casa de la Carnicería, which is located
right in front of the Casa de la
Panadería, will host a luxury hotel. Many of the houses and apartments,
which interiors are too old, will be rebuilt. The real-estate market will
develop and prices will increase. Now, the average in Madrid’s Plaza Mayor is
3.000 euros per square meter.
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