Page 276 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

274  THE IBERIAN PENINSULA

Old Madrid and built in just two years.
At its center is an equestrian
When Felipe II chose Madrid as his capital in 1561, it was a statue of Felipe III, who ordered
small Castilian town of little importance. In the following the square’s construction.
years, it was to grow into the nerve center of a mighty empire. The elegant arcades that line
During the reign of the Habsburg dynasty, many royal the Plaza Mayor are today filled
with cafés and craft stores.
monasteries, churches, and private palaces were built. In the One of the more interesting
17th century, the Plaza Mayor was added, and the Puerta buildings is the Casa de la
del Sol became the spiritual and geographical Panadería, whose facade is
heart not only of Madrid, but of all Spain. decorated with splendid
Old Madrid’s splendid Bourbon palace, the allegorical paintings.
On Sundays, the square is the
Palacio Real, was built under Felipe V in venue for a collectors’ market,
the first half of the 18th century. with stalls selling coins, stamps,
books, and other items.
historical events. On May 2,
1808, the uprising against the
occupying French forces began
in the square, and in 1912, the
liberal prime minister José
Canalejas was assassinated here.
2 Plaza Mayor
q Sol.

Bear and strawberry tree, the symbol of For hundreds of years, this
Madrid, Puerta del Sol beautiful 17th-century square
1 Puerta del Sol was a center of activity, with
bullfights, executions, pageants,
q Sol. and trials by the Inquisition
taking place here.
With its many shops and cafés, The first great public event Decorated chapel, Monasterio de las
the Puerta del Sol (“Gateway was the beatification of the Descalzas Reales
of the Sun”) is one of Madrid’s city’s patron, St. Isidore, in 1621.
liveliest areas, attracting huge Perhaps the greatest occasion,
crowds. The square marks the however, was the arrival from 3 Monasterio de las
site of the original eastern Italy of Carlos III (Carlos VII of Descalzas Reales
entrance to the city, once Naples) in 1760. He became Plaza de las Descalzas 3. Tel 91-454
occupied by a gatehouse king of Spain after his half- 88 00. q Opera. Open 10am–2pm,
and a castle. brother, Fernando VI, died 4–6:30pm Tue–Sat; 10am–3pm Sun
A statue of Carlos III (reigned without an heir. Designed by & public hols. Closed Jan 1 & 6, 3
1759–88) stands at the center architect Juan Gómez de Mora, days after Easter, May 1, Dec 24, 25
of the square. On its southern the square was started in 1617 & 31. & (except Wed & Thu pm
edge is the austere Casa de for EU residents). 8
Correos, dating from the 1760s. ∑ patrimonionacional.es
Originally the city’s post office, it
later became the head quarters This religious building is a
of the Ministry of the Interior. rare surviving example of
During the Franco regime, the 16th-century architecture in
police cells below the building Madrid. Around 1560, Felipe II’s
were the site of human-rights sister, Doña Juana, decided to
abuses. Outside the building, a convert a medieval palace on
symbol on the ground marks this site into a convent.
Kilometer Zero, considered the Doña Juana’s rank accounts
center of Spain’s road network. for the massive store of art
On the opposite side of the amassed by the Descalzas
square is a bronze statue of the Reales (Royal Barefoot Sisters),
symbol of Madrid – a bear which includes a fresco of Felipe
reaching for the fruit of a IV’s family and, above the main
madroño (strawberry tree). staircase, a ceiling by Claudio
The Puerta del Sol has Facade of the Casa de la Panadería, on the Coello. The Sala de Tapices
witnessed many important Plaza Mayor contains stunning tapestries,
For hotels and restaurants see pp330–32 and pp333–5

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