The Plaza Mayor stands as the center of the city of Madrid. The construction of the plaza dates back to Phillip III’s reign and has been rebuilt (due to fires) many times throughout its history. Throughout time, the plaza stood as a marketplace for Spaniards that regulated food prices. The plaza was also used to house events like bullfighting/festivals and executions. It is currently built similar to a mall holding restaurants, gift shops, medallion collectors, etc., making it a very attractive tourist spot for people of all ages. To read more about the Plaza, click here!

From a professor’s stance, the plaza would be a highly prioritized visitation spot in Madrid because of its historical importance. This plaza was the main execution area during the Spanish Inquisition between the fifteenth and nineteenth centuries. It also stands as the place where the Republicans surrendered in the Spanish Civil War. There are many artistic representations of the Plaza Mayor for a variety of different reasons from famous artists like Francisco Goya’s Second and Third of May 1808 and Francisco Rizi’s Auto-da-fe on the Plaza Mayor in Madrid on 30 June 1680. The very first auto-da-fe of the Spanish Inquisition was in 1481 (Kamen, 1981). These paintings display portraits of important events throughout Spain and Madrid’s history.