Plaza Mayor - One of the main squares of Madrid. The area, which was built in the Baroque style by the architect Juan Gómez de Mora, is a true architectural masterpiece of Habsburg rule.

Inauguration of the area took place May 15, 1620 the day of reckoning Isidore de Merleau-and-Quintana canonized. Since Isidore is the patron saint of Madrid, and on May 15 is a holiday.

Originally created by the area was surrounded by a building built of wood, which was the cause of frequent fires in its territory. Restoration of the area after the fire, which occurred in 1790, was carried out under the supervision of architect Juan de Villanueva. The architect decided to replace wooden houses surrounding the square stone, and joined along the entire perimeter of the building. The connected buildings were created nine fairly wide arched driveways. The restructuring of the area took about 60 years and was completed in 1853. Today, the Plaza Mayor is rectangular in shape and is surrounded by a number of interconnected and built in the same style 136 buildings. Building facades are decorated with balconies that allow to observe what is happening on the square. Once the balcony of the building Casa de Panaderiya occupied by members of the royal family, observed the holidays or executions in the Plaza Mayor.

In the center is set a magnificent equestrian statue of King Philip III, made of bronze. This monument began to create a Flemish sculptor Giambologna and completed by his pupil Pedro Tacca in 1616.