The best places to visit in Madrid, Spain (Spain - Destinations)
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Plaza Mayor
Plaza Mayor, a large square in downtown Madrid is very popular among tourists and locals alike. Rectangular market has a uniform architecture, very similar to market Vosges in Paris.
In the Middle Ages it was just a market place of consumer goods outside the city walls. In 1560 King Philip II asked Juan de Herrera, architect of the Escorial to transform the church fair in a real small square. Only in the year 1617, during the reign of King Philip III, Plaza Mayor began construction o...
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Almudena Cathedral
Almudena Cathedral in Madrid took over 100 years to be built. It was finally consecrated by Pope John Paul II in 1993. Shortly after King Philip II assigned Madrid the capital of Spain in the year of 1561, he wanted to build a cathedral for the new capital. Because of political turmoil and strong opposition from the Archdiocese of Toledo City, which was then a much larger city, the construction of the building was constantly delayed. Finally, in 1868 a congregation devoted to the Virgin Almudena, the saint that patronizes Madr...
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Puerta del Sol
Plaza Puerta del Sol is the perfect starting point to explore the city of Madrid. This bustling market, is centrally located one of the most lively places in town.
Puerta del Sol is now the historic heart of Madrid, but last place was at the eastern edge of town. Market name comes from the east gate of the city that existed here in the 15th century. Gate was probably named after the sun painted on it - Puerta del Sol or the Sun Gate. Present semi-oval small square was created in the 19th c...
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