Photos taken out and about in Madrid, the capital and largest city of Spain.

Plaza Mayor

The Plaza Mayor was built during the Habsburg period and is a central plaza in the city of Madrid, Spain. The Plaza Mayor is rectangular in shape and has a total of nine entranceways. It is surrounded by three-story residential buildings having 237 breathtaking balconies facing the Plaza. (This is where we stayed, so in this album I’ve also included photos from the balcony of Plaza Mayor and the inside of our residential apartment there.) The Plaza Mayor has been the scene of multitudinous events: markets, bullfights, soccer games, public executions, and, during the Spanish Inquisition, "autos de fe" against supposed heretics and the executions of those condemned to death. The Plaza Mayor also has a ring of old and traditional shops and cafes under its porticoes. Celebrations for San Isidro, patron saint of Madrid, are also held here.

 

Mercado de San Miguel

A few steps away from our apartment in Plaza Mayor we discovered, Mercado de San Miguel. Mercado de San Miguel is the last iron market hall in Madrid, the rest have all been demolished. Lucky for us, Mercado de San Miguel was saved in 2003, when a group of individuals formed the El Gastrónomo de San Miguel, which acquired the market place with an aim to restore the Mercado and adapt it to the 21st century.

The market started its new life in 2009 when it reopened with 33 vendors selling fresh produce, fish, pasta, meat, pastries,  candies, croquettes, and even cookbooks in this beautiful and pleasant atmosphere that keeps itself cool with a variety of fans and mist makers coming from the ceilings. There are also a number of cafés and mini-restaurants which offer specialty food, from tapas and oyster bars, to foreign food. For the thirsty visitors there are several bars offering everything from coffee or beer to wine and champaign.