Skip to content
Plaza Mayor

Landmark

Plaza Mayor

Madrid's arcaded main square, finished in 1619: 237 balconies, the painted Casa de la Panadería and Philip III on horseback.

experiences to book
3
typical visit
30–45 minutes
lowest price
€40

Things to do at Plaza Mayor

Guided tours · 3

  • Traffic on Gran Vía beneath the Metrópolis building

    Valid all day · about 1–1.5 h per route

    Madrid Open-Top Bus

    Board at any stop · open top deck
    Free cancellationfrom€40per adult
  • Spread of Spanish tapas in clay dishes on a wooden board

    3 h

    Madrid Tapas Crawl

    Max 12 travellers · about 2 km on foot
    Free cancellationfrom€99per adult

About Plaza Mayor

Juan Gómez de Mora laid out the square for Philip III, and it was finished in 1619. Fires in 1631, 1670 and 1790 each reshaped it; after the last, Juan de Villanueva lowered the buildings and added the great arches you walk through today. Over the centuries it has held markets, bullfights, royal celebrations and executions.

The 237 balconies look down on a bronze of Philip III on horseback by Giambologna and Pietro Tacca, moved here in 1848. The Casa de la Panadería wears murals added in 1992 and houses the city's main tourist office. On the south-west corner, the Arco de Cuchilleros leads down steep steps towards the taverns of La Latina.

Know before you go

  • Terrace cafés on the square charge more than bars a street or two away
  • Keep valuables zipped away; pickpockets work the busy square
  • A stamp and coin collectors' market runs on Sundays
  • A Christmas market fills the square in December