Plaza Mayor

About this place

Completed under Philip III in the early 17th century, Madrid's great enclosed square became a focus of public life. Walk beneath the arcades and notice the uniform balconies, which turn the plaza into an open-air stage framed by the old city. The square's present unity comes from the repeated windows, balconies and covered walkways around its rectangular plan. Several gates lead out into the surrounding streets, so the enclosed space is also a meeting point within the older neighbourhood. Watching people pass through helps bring its civic role to life.