la Plaza Mayor

Before leaving Madrid, I should share a few photos of Plaza Mayor, the main plaza closest to my apartment. It’s a large and beautiful square and a fantastic place to people watch.

Like many central squares in Spain, the Plaza Mayor was the center of city trade and life for centuries. It was in this square that madrilenos enjoyed their bullfights and spectacles of royal pagentry, held open air markets, and even witnessed public burnings at the stake carried out by the Inquisition.

The most beautiful aspect of the plaza is the Casa de la Panaderia, shown above and below. The facade of this former baker’s guild headquarters is covered with brightly covered frescos that catch the sun and create a beautiful luminescense in the square.

I passed through this square on countless occassions and snapped photos now and then. Here is a sampling of life in the square:



I have yet to pass through the square without seeing at minimum two or three street performers, regardless of the hour. Most are only marginally interesting to me, but one particular performer is so enchanting to young children that I cannot help but stop and watch.

His act is not terribly challenging, but it is pure magic for children. With 'tinkly' music playing on a nearby boombox, this performer stands perfectly still on tall stilts until a child drops a coin in his metal jar. It is then that he comes alive, looks all about until he 'finds' the one special child he is looking for, and then pulls a bit of gold glitter out of his little lamp and sprinkles it into the outstretched hands of the child.

It sounds so simple, yet for the children it is nothing short of magical. And so is watching the expressions of joy on their faces!