Plaza Mayor - details and images

In the Middle Ages it was just a market place of consumer goods outside the city walls. In 1560 King Philip II asked Juan de Herrera, architect of the Escorial church to turn the fair into a true square. Only in 1617, during the reign of King Philip III, Plaza Mayor, new construction began. Following his instructions seccesorului Herrera, Juan Gomez de la Mora, the market was completed in just two years.

Sights of Madrid - Plaza Mayor, a large square in the center of Madrid is very popular among tourists and locals alike. Market has a rectangular uniform architecture, very similar to market Vosges in Paris.

In the Middle Ages it was just a market place of consumer goods outside the city walls. In 1560 King Philip II asked Juan de Herrera, architect of the Escorial church to turn the fair into a true square. Only in 1617, during the reign of King Philip III, Plaza Mayor, new construction began. Following his instructions seccesorului Herrera, Juan Gomez de la Mora, the market was completed in just two years.

The result was a very big market, measuring 120 meters long and 90 meters wide. He was surrounded by wooden buildings, some of them six stories high. Fires have destroyed all the buildings in the Plaza Mayor three times throughout history: in 1631, 1672 and 1790. Every time they were rebuilt after the last time Juan Villanueva's project. High buildings after the last fire can be admired today.

Since it was completed, the Plaza Mayor was the center of many festivals, bullfights, coronations and executions. The events were witnessed by over 50,000 spectators even. It is still used today for certain events.

In the center of the square there is a bronze statue of King Philip II of Spain, built in 1616 by Italian sculptors Giovanni Bologna and his apprentice Peter TACC. In 1848 he was moved from Casa de Campo in the Plaza Mayor. In the same period, the square was redesigned with the gardens that were removal in 1936.

The most important building in the Plaza Mayor is the Casa de la Panaderia, bakers guild headquarters. This building was completed in 1590, even before they set up market. The current design with symmetrical towers dating from the last fire in 1790. With colorful walls have been added only recently in 1992.

Transport - Metro Sol sati (M1, M2, M3).



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