Madrid's squares - a glimpse into the city's former life

Plaza de Oriente

The most historic and architecturally stunning square in Madrid. Its construction was initiated in the early 19th century by Napoleon’s brother on the Spanish throne, Joseph I Bonaparte. Due to the impressive size of the investment, its completion did not take place until the reign of Isabella II. It takes its name oriente from the direction, i.e. east, because the square is located on the eastern side of 🔗 the Royal Palace.

Around the square there are the Royal Theatre and the Opera House, as well as the Royal Palace, and in the park part – statues of 20 Spanish kings made of limestone. The geometric shape of this 1.6-hectare garden provides good ventilation and beautifully accentuates the façade of the Royal Palace. In the center of the square stands the most beautiful monument of Madrid. It was created in 1640 and depicts a motionless figure of a rider on a horse standing oak. It is none other than King Philip IV of Habsburg, sculpted by the Italian artist Pietro Tacco, modeled after a painting by Velazquez found in 🔗 the Prado Museum.The statue impresses with its beautiful details, although what is most emphasized in its descriptions is balance and lightness. Remarkably, the entire weight of the monument rests solely on the horse’s two hind legs. Let’s not forget that the monument was created in the 17th century, a time when achieving such an effect required sheer genius. And in fact, it turns out that the Italian sculptor was supported by one of the most outstanding physicists of the era – Galileo.

The Plaza de Oriente is a place where history, culture, and grandeur converge, making it a must-visit spot for anyone exploring Madrid.

Plaza Mayor

Here is one of Madrid’s most recognizable squares. Located on a rectangular floor plan, surrounded by buildings with a centrally placed equestrian statue of King Philip III. It became such a representative place only after Madrid was established as the capital. In 1561, King Philip II engaged the designer of the Escorial, Juan de Herrera, to create it. The oldest buildings on the square are Casa de la Carniceria (House of the Butchers) and Casa de la Panaderia (House of the Bakers). The former, distinguished from the surrounding tenement houses by two spires and a raised attic ceiling. The latter, located directly opposite, with a façade covered in 1992 with controversial frescoes by Carlos Franco with mythological figures. Square adaptation was completed in the early 17th century under the supervision of the royal architect Juan Gomez de Mora. Initially, the square was surrounded by five-story buildings where nearly 3,000 people lived. Probably such a high density of population, unheard of at that time, could have been the cause of the most famous fires in 1631, 1670 and 1790. After the last of them, the rebuilt square gained its present shape. The buildings were reduced to three floors, the facades, and arches at the entrances to the square were unified. There are 9 streets leading to the square, which can be reached by 9 gates. The most famous of them is the Arch of the Knifemakers, or Arco de Cuchilleros. Founded in 1790, it is the work of Juan de Vilanuev. It takes its name from the nearby knifemakers guild, supplying the nearby butchers’ guild. It is worth noting the difference in levels between the square and the adjacent street. The equestrian statue of King Philip III was placed in the square by the decision of Queen Isabella II in 1848. It was a gift from the Grand Duke of Florence, Cosimo de’ Medici.

A witness to the city’s life

For hundreds of years, the Plaza Mayor has witnessed many events and the life of the city. It was here that the coronations of kings and the executions of convicts took place. Important ceremonies were held, theatrical plays were staged, and even corridas were organized. Until 1960, even a tram ran here and there was daily traffic. Every Sunday, there is a collector’s market in the square where you can get old Spanish stamps, coins, magazines, photos, and postcards.

Puerta del Sol

Although it is one of the most important squares and the central point of the city, in the 15th century it did not exist. Instead, a border defensive wall stood there. In the middle of the wall was a gate facing east, through which the first rays of the morning sun entered, called the Gate of the Sun. As many as 10 streets join this semi-circular square, and 3 metro lines intersect under the surface, including the oldest one, L1, opened in 1919. It is worth looking around at that square to notice how many characteristic points so much associated with Madrid can be found there.

Casa de Correos and its Clock

The oldest building is Casa de Correos, a post office building dating back to the second half of the 18th century, with a famous clock tower. The clock was inaugurated in 1866 by the master José Rodríguez Losada. He was the first master who succeeded in creating a precise mechanism that displayed the same time simultaneously on three dials. That put an end to years of irritation and anger among the locals caused by the problems of the earlier medieval clock. Every New Year’s Eve, crowds gather in front of the Casa de Correos to eat 12 grapes in rhythm with the clock’s strikes during the last seconds of the old year. According to tradition, this is to ensure health and prosperity for the next 12 months. The post office building has served many functions over the years and currently houses the presidency of the Autonomous Community of Madrid. Architecturally, it has a rectangular shape and is built of two colors of materials: brick and limestone. The central part of the building is the façade, with an entrance and small tower built in the 19th century to accommodate the clock. Above the main door there is an arch, above which a balcony is placed supported on the heads of lions. The coat of arms of Charles III is placed above the gate. On the façade of Casa de Correos there are plaques, one dedicated to the heroes of the popular uprising of May 2, 1808, and the other to the victims of the attacks of March 11, 2004. The Casa de Correos building holds historical significance and stands as a testament to Madrid’s rich past.

Kilometre Zero

In front of the building, there is exactly the very center of Madrid and the whole of Spain, that is the famous Kilòmetro Cero. It was from there that in the 18th century Philip V designated 6 radiating roads, which have survived to this day as highways A1 to A6. The symbolic plaque marking this point depicts a map of Spain, Portugal, and southern France, along with the city’s coat of arms and the emblem of the Association of Road, Canal, and Bridge Engineers. The Kilómetro Cero holds historical significance as the starting point for Spain’s major highways and serves as a geographical reference for the entire country.

Charles III

At the central point of Puerta del Sol there is a statue of King Charles III sitting on a horse. It is 1 of the 3 statues of this king located in Madrid. Its replica was placed in a square in 1993, commemorating the king who went down in as the city’s best-managed monarch. On the pedestal there is a 12-line inscription that can be read by having to walk around the monument as many times. It is modeled after the Roman Trajan’s Column and briefly describes the history of the reign of Charles III. It consists of about 2,000 characters written in the Latin alphabet and was written by the professor of architectural history Carlos Sambricio.

Coat of Arms of Madrid

A little to the side, at the entrance to Alcalá Street, there is a 20-ton statue of a bear climbing or leaning against a strawberry tree. That is the symbol of the city immortalized in the coat of arms. In the drawings, the bear is depicted on a blue background adorned with silver stars, and at the top there is a grand crown, signifying its relationship with the Spanish monarchy. Some associate the stars with the constellation Ursa Major. The statue stands at its place since 1967.

Tio Pepe

Opposite the clock tower, there is a somewhat controversial yet listed, iconic neon advertisement of Tio Pepe. It was placed in the square in 1935 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Jerez vineyard. The logo features a bottle of fine wine with a red hat and jacket, making it one of the most recognizable figures in the world of Spanish advertising.

Plaza de España

At the southeastern edge of the Moncloa-Aravaca district, there is today’s one of the largest squares in the country with an area of 36,900m², known as Plaza de España. We can reach it by one of the main streets of the city of Gran Vía.

In the 16th century, the Leganitos orchards grew in there. Then King Charles III wanted to build a monastery, but the construction was never completed. In the early 19th century, Joseph Bonaparte transformed the unfinished monastery buildings into cavalry barracks, and later artillery barracks. They were demolished at the beginning of the 20th century, and in 1911 the final design of the Plaza de España was approved.

A tribute to Cervantes

In 1929, the most famous symbol of the square was unveiled, the statue of Miguel de Cervantes designed by Martinez Zapatero and Coullaut-Valera. The entire sculpture complex was created at the same time as the urbanization of the square, and a landscape recreational area. At the base of the monument and under the writer’s feet there are statues of Don Quixote of La Mancha and Sancho Panza greeting us. The whole is complemented by the other characters from the novel – Dulcinea and Aldonza Lorenzo. At the top of the monument, five continents contemplate, all of which read the universal works of Cervantes. On the other side, above the fountains, Spanish literature is depicted, dressed in period costume, and holding a book in her right hand. The square is dominated by olive trees, a tribute to the fields of La Mancha from the adventures of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza.

A skyscraper

The area around the square is surrounded by some of the tallest buildings in the capital. One of them is the Torre de Madrid, which was once the tallest in the city. Built between 1954 and 1957 and 142 meters high it was the tallest building in Europe until 1967. Another famous building is the Casa Gallardo, an example of modernist architecture, the work of Federico Arias Rey. On the opposite corner stands the Royal Asturian Mining Company Building, an architecturally stunning complex built between 1891 and 1899 by Manuel Martínez Ángel.

Plaza de Isabel II

Plaza Isabella II, also known as Plaza de Ópera, is an open space between the Sol and Palacio districts with the Opera metro station in the middle. In the past, there was a gorge formed by the Arenal stream, which was connected to the Caños del Peral fountain system, about which you can read more 🔗 here. During Queen Isabella II’s reign, the gorge was filled in when the Teatro Real (Royal Theater) was built. The theater was inaugurated on Queen’s birthday, October 10, 1850. Its main facade faces Plaza de Oriente. The square occupies part of the site where the old Teatro de los Caños del Peral stood between 1738 and 1817. The Teatro Real is an opera house, that is the highest performing and musical arts institution in the country and one of the most prestigious opera houses in Europe. In 1925 it was nearly destroyed when it was in danger of collapsing due to the instability of the foundations. It had been worsened by the nearby construction of a substation that involved the use of explosives. In 1993, the building was declared a “Historical Monument” and officially recognized as a Cultural Property of the Spanish Historical Heritage by Royal Decree.

Plaza de Cibeles

This is Madrid’s most emblematic square. Its circular shape converges several wide roads, giving it more the appearance of a large roundabout than a traditional square. These structures span across different neighborhoods and districts: Centro, Retiro, and Salamanca. Plaza de Cibeles is surrounded by four historic buildings: the Buenavista Palace, the Bank of Spain, the Linares Palace, and the Palace of Communications.

Cibeles Fountain

In the central part of the square is the Cibeles Fountain, also called La Cibeles. It was created in 1782, by the design of Ventura Rodriguez. It is certainly surprising that for over 100 years, until 1892, it served as a water source for the citizens. The fountain is dedicated to Cybele, the goddess of earth, agriculture, and fertility. She is depicted as a beautiful woman seated in a chariot pulled by two lions. These animals symbolize Hippomenes and his beloved Atalanta, who were enchanted into lions by the offended goddess Demeter. The Cibeles Fountain is one of the most photographed landmarks in Madrid. It is also the usual place to celebrate the successes of the Real Madrid football team. Madridistas love to adorn Cybele with their team’s scarf. Let’s move on to the buildings surrounding the square.

Palacio de Buenavista

Let’s start with the oldest of them: Palacio de Buenavista, built in the second half of the 18th century for the 13th Duchess of Alba. The building was designed by Juan Pedro de Arnal on the model of French and Italian palaces, with an urban façade to the north. The Alba family owned the palace until the duchess’s death, after which their residence was moved to 🔗 the Palacio de Liria. This coincided with the Berwick family taking over the title of the Alba family. In 1807, the Buenavista Palace was bought by the City Hall of Madrid, where it served various purposes over the following years. Since 1847, it has been the headquarters of both the Ministry of War and the Ministry of the Army, and currently houses the main headquarter of the Spanish Army.

Palacio de Cibeles

Another distinctive building in the square is the Palacio de Cibeles. It was formerly known as the Palacio de Comunicaciones or the Palace of Telecommunications. The building was officially opened in 1919 and initially served as the main post office. Currently it houses the Madrid City Council (serving as the city hall) and public cultural center. The palace occupies about 30,000 square meters of what used to be the old Buen Retiro Gardens. The Cibeles Palace was designed by the young Spanish architects Antonio Palacios and Joaquín Otamendi through a municipal competition. Despite its historical significance, the Cibeles Palace has earned a lighthearted nickname among Spaniards: the wedding cake.

Palacio de Linares

Casa de América, also known as Palacio de Linares, stands opposite the town hall. The building, completed in 1900, was the seat of the Marquis of Linares. The palace’s interiors are richly decorated with tapestries, Antwerp glass, Parisian lamps, bronze sculptures, and numerous paintings by renowned artists. The external decorative elements (angels, ornamental vases, and coats of arms) were crafted by the sculptor Jerónimo Suñol. Since 1992, it has been a center of cultural exchange between Spain and America. The palace is 🌐 open for visitors.