Plaza Mayor

Plaza Mayor is a breath of fresh air after Madrid’s tightly packed and small streets, and combines a most interesting history with beautiful architecture. It’s a great meeting spot because it is right in the middle of Old Madrid. This plaza was meant to be used for important events, and it has stayed true to its roots with bullfights, executions, pageants, and trials during the Inquisition. Construction started in 1617 but with multiple fires, its designed has changed more than once. Normally in city plazas there are four entrances, one at each corner of the square. Plaza Mayor, however, has nine separate entrance gates!

Many celebrations such as weddings and births took place here, and often, to celebrate, the King and Queen would watch bullfights from the balcony, while thousands of people crammed below. However, many people also died here. The first execution happened in 1621 to a secretary of the King. Then, during the Spanish Inquisition, which for those that don’t know was a crusade to maintain the Catholic orthodoxy, many more people were executed by burning at the stake or by the Garrotte.