Plaza Mayor is one of the representative squares of the Spanish capital. It is surrounded by restored three-story buildings with 237 balconies. Of note is the 17th-century building that once housed the city's main bakery (Casa de la Panadería). On the square stands the statue of King Philip III.
The square was built on the site of a medieval marketplace. Its expansion was ordered by King Philip II in the 16th century. Two well-known architects were responsible for the original design of the square: Juan de Herrera and Francisco de Mora. The square was destroyed three times by fire, the tenements standing around it burned in fires. The current appearance is due to the reconstruction of the eighteenth century.
The statue of Philip III is a 17th century work by Juan de Bolonia and Pietro Tacca, but it was erected here only in the 19th century. It was during the reign of Philip III that there was another reconstruction of this place, which was supervised by the royal architect Juan Gómez de Mora. Unfortunately, the effects of his work can only be seen today in paintings.
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