The Callao Square (Spanish: plaza del Callao) is located at the centre of the Spanish capital of Madrid.

History and description

Shaped in 1861, the square was formally opened in June 1866; its name remembers the May 1866 battle of Callao between the Spanish naval forces under the command of Casto Méndez Núñez and the Peruvian army.

The square was substantially and aggressively reformed in the 21st century. The reform removed nearly all elements present by that time, except the metro station access and a big tree, turning the square into a pedestrian and homogeneous space, while adding a limited number of pieces of urban furniture. Conversely, big screens were added to the surrounding buildings. Located in a very commercial area of the city, the pedestrian space is often for rent to companies wanting to carry out advertising events.

Buildings

Fnac in Plaza de Callao, formerly a Galerías Preciados department store until 1993)
La Adriática building at Plaza de Callao #3 / Gran Vía #39

Buildings on the Square include:

See also

Citations

Bibliography

  • Alfaro Zaforteza, Carlos (2014). "From Trafalgar to Santiago: The Spanish Navy and National Identity in Nineteenth-Century Spain". In Duncan Redford (ed.). Maritime History and Identity: The Sea and Culture in the Modern World. London & New York: I.B. Tauris. pp. 253–270. ISBN 978-1-78076-329-3.
  • Alonso Pereira, José Ramón (1980). (PDF). Villa de Madrid (69). Madrid: Ayuntamiento de Madrid: 19–28. ISSN .
  • Brandis García, Dolores; Río Lafuente, Isabel del (2016). . Cuadernos Geográficos. 55 (2). Granada: Editorial Universidad de Granada: 238–264. ISSN .
  • Gea Ortigas, María Isabel (2012). Los nombres de las calles de Madrid. Madrid: Ediciones La Librería. ISBN 978-84-9873-182-8.
  • Nieto Codina, Aurelio (2010). (PDF). Espacio, Tiempo y Forma. Serie VI, Geografía (3). Madrid: Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia. doi:. ISSN .