Mayor and the Puerta del Sol. It is also possible to walk to Madrid’s main museums from here, making this area an ideal location to stay in the city.
The square was originally the site of the Convent of Santa Ana, founded in 1586 but demolished during the reign of José Bonaparte (Napoleon’s brother), in 1810. In its place, the Plaza was created around 1848.
On its east side, the “Teatro Español” may be found, whose origins go back to 1583, although the current building was constructed in 1849 after the first, an open air theatre, was burnt down. In this theatre Spain’s most important writers have seen their works acted out on stage. To the west, the unmistakable façade of the ME Madrid Reina Victoria hotel dominates the square. The hotel was built in 1916, the large front windows of its rooms enjoying truly spectacular views of the Plaza.
Two statues in the square play tribute to two great Spanish personalities. The first, close to the hotel, is of Pedro Calderón de la Barca (1600–1681), the famous Spanish playwright. The second, just in front of the Theatre, is of Federico García Lorca (1898–1936), poet and dramatist, killed by the Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War.
