In The Heart Of The Baroque City

 

Plaza Mayor is a major public square in the heart of Madrid.  It was built between 1580 and 1619 and was once the center of Old Madrid.  It was originally called the Plaza del Arrabal and was used as the main market in town.  Over the years, Plaza Mayor has hosted a multitude of events, from bullfights and soccer games to trials of the Inquisition and executions.

The statue that stands in the middle of the plaza is that of Felipe II, the King of Spain from 1598 to 1621.

This is the façade of the Casa de la Panadería (Bakery House).  According to the information I found online, "Casa de la Panadería, or the Bakery, was designed to house the Bakers' Guild. This organization held a lot of power, being able to control the price of grain. This gave them great political and economic power, influence, and importance."  Because they controlled the price of grain, they also controlled the price of bread, making it affordable for even the poorest of the city's citizens. If you look closely, you can see the frescoes painted on the front of the building, as mentioned in the Wikipedia link.

This is the view from Plaza Mayor looking down Calle de Toledo.  The two towers in the distance belong to Real Congregación de San Isidro de Madrid (Royal Congregation of San Isidro of Madrid), also known as the Collegiate Church of San Isidore.  Wikipedia says, "It is named after and holds the remains of the patron saint of Madrid, Isidore the Laborer, and his wife Santa María de la Cabeza. It has held the status of a Basilica church for centuries."

This is a close-up of the balconies of the apartments that look out upon Calle de Toledo.  I love the colors of the tiles, the plants, and the wrought iron against the ochre-colored building.

Looking up from the street at the warm yellow hue of the buildings against the pale blue of the sky.  Very pretty.

On this building, I loved the turquoise shutters and wrought-iron balconies against the terra cotta-colored building.  There is a lot to look at in the neighborhoods surrounding Plaza Mayor.

Another view down Calle de Toledo, with Ed standing in the foreground.  This was a very picturesque street with all the apartments, shops, and restaurants.

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2022: Campo Wind
2021: Sorry, no post on this day.
2020: Sorry, no post on this day.
2019: Rock Solid Saint
2018: Rainforest Adventures
2017: Low Ceiling In The Desert
2016: An Original Recycler
2015: There's A Black Hole In The Desert (With Truck Parking)
2014: Strength In Numbers
2013: Woman Cannot Live On Bread Alone
2012: Why Milk Is ALWAYS At The Top Of My Shopping List
2011: Fun For Sale
2010: Dublin Is Incredibly Corny
2009: Welcome To Snowhio
2008: When Big Hair And Denim Were King
2007: Open 24 Hours
2006: Lucky One Eye
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!