Spain is all about their Plaza Mayor or in English Town Square, as every city seem to have a Main Plaza and they all use that same name. Since I traveled recently to several cities in the heart of Spain, I visited these Plazas Mayor in several cities along the way. Surprisingly, the biggest and most enjoyable was not necessarily in the largest city that I had visited.
We start out in Madrid, the capital city of Spain where one would have expected the largest one. The Plaza Mayor dates back to the 15th century where it was originally called the “Plaza del Arrabal” and was used as the main market of the town. In 1561, the plaza was transferred to the city of Madrid. Today, the Plaza Mayor is rectangular in shape and highlights the uniformity of the architecture. The Plaza measures 129 m x 94 m (423 ft x 308 ft). 237 balconies are present on the three-story residential buildings that face inward towards the Plaza. To enter or exit The Plaza Mayor, there are ten entrances to choose from, however, there are nine gates. The entrances are named: 7 de Julio, Arco de Triunfo and Felipe III to the North; Sal, Zaragoza and Gerona to the East; Botoneras, Toledo and Cuchilleros to the South; Ciudad Rodrigo to the West. In the center of the square stands the statue of Philip III on a horse, which was placed in 1848. There are a few sidewalk cafe restaurants around the covered edges to enjoy a beverage or food and people watch.
Our next city to visit on this trip was to the city of Segovia, Spain where their Plaza Mayor was located at the end of the street called Calle Real, which is one of the most famous streets in Segovia. Within Plaza Mayor, you can find several important buildings, such as the town hall, the Juan Bravo Theatre, the San Miguel Church, and the Cathedral. Centuries before the plaza was built in the 17th century, the space was treated as the center of the village, where vendors would install their stands and citizens would socialize and meet. It is said that in the middle ages, the street was known as Calle de la Cinteria, which means Ribbon Street because of the sector’s shops and all its vendors. The town hall was built in the 17th century and ever since has been the building where the majority of Segovian events take place. We stayed at the Hotel Infanta Isabel Hotel and it was located overlooking the plaza with a large concert that evening going till 4am! I would definitely check the schedule of events before booking in this area.
Salamanca, Spain is the next stop where their Plaza Mayor was used as a public square. It was built in the traditional Spanish baroque style and is a popular gathering area. It is lined by restaurants, ice cream parlors, tourist shops, jewelry stores and a pharmacy, along its perimeter except in front of the city hall. It is considered the heart of Salamanca and is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful plazas in Spain and I certainly thought so. It immediately reminded me of St. Marks Square in Venice, Italy…….minus the enterainment.
The Plaza Mayor in Toledo, Spain was certainly not the kind I had seen in previous cities and was a tiny square located behind the Cathedral, but alas it was labeled as their Plaza Mayor. The real larger plaza here is called the Plaza Zocodover and it was the central hub of the city during most of its history, acting as its main square. Horses, donkeys, foals, mares, mules and other animals were sold in the square when Toledo was a Spanish Muslim City. The city’s most important market takes place here, as it has for centuries. Today it is held on Tuesdays in the vicinity of Paseo de Merchán or de la Vega.
Granada, Spain takes on the meaning of Plaza Mayor differently in that they do not have any main large plaza but various smaller ones located in the different communities of Alhambra and Albaicin. They range in size and style as differently as the areas that they are located in with Moorish influences seen throughout. Some of the most noteworthy ones are Plaza De Bib-Rambla, Plaza Isabel La Catolica, Plaza De Los Carvajales, Plaza Del Campillo, Plaza De San Nicolas, Plaza Nueva, Plaza De Alonso Cano, Plaza De La Universidad, Plaza Romanilla, and finally Plaza De Las Pasiegas.
Our final stop in the city of Aranjuez provides no Plaza Mayor as the Palace takes the main stage of this city and provides lots of areas for parades, displays, and of course Royal Gardens. Their Plaza San Antonio takes the center stage of the largest in the city.
I am sure there are more Plaza Mayores in the rest of Spain as I have seen some wonderful ones on this trip and others. Like the Plaza de Espana in Barcelona, the 2nd largest one in the country is noteworthy. And the Plaza de Espana in Seville is absolutely fabulous as it was built for Ibero American exposition in 1929.
Make sure you see some more of my great blogs from around the world!
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