Plaza Mayor
- Address:Madrid
- Admission:Free
Must-Do Experience, People Watching, Popular with Locals, Plaza / Square
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Plaza Mayor is a large square in central Madrid. It serves today as a meeting place for tourists and locals alike, and has played host to a variety of festivities throughout history, including bull fights, soccer matches, and executions during the Spanish Inquisition.
The plaza was built in the early 17th century during King Felipe III's reign - the central statue is a nod to him overseeing the project's completion. Forming the outer walls are a series of three-story residential buildings with balconies overlooking the center, providing excellent views of the action below.
The most prominent of the buildings in the plaza is the Casa de la Panaderia - House of the Baker's Guild, which today serves municipal and cultural functions. There are also several shops and eateries that occupy the ground level of the buildings and provide refreshments for hungry and thirsty travelers admiring the square.
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Clean, efficient, great way to get an intro to the sites as well as to stop and site see.
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Plaza Mayor has undergone many changes over the centuries. Victim to three fires, the buildings surrounding the plaza have been rebuilt each time. The most recent update to the plaza was the addition of colorful frescos in 1992.
Also nearby is the popular Puerta del Sol, another landmark plaza of Madrid.
