Plaza de España, Madrid

D Quixote de la Mancha is the central figure of this central square, and the only detail that allows me to link it to Spain.

The architecture is somewhat closer to central europe, and the place too quiet and cold to Spain.

2 more images

On the centrre of Plaza de Espana stands a massive stone obelisk with a statute of Miguel Cervantes the author of Don Quixote. Below Cervantes is a statute of Don Quixote on his horse Rocinanate.

Sancho Panza is on the donkey.

Our tour bus stopped for a few minutes for this photo shoot.

This two buildings are located on Plaza Espana at the end of Gran Via street. There are the largest building in Madrid. Torre de Madrid has 142 meters of height and it was built in 1957. Nicknamed La Jirafe it was the tallest bulding in Madrid until the Torre Picasso was built in 1989. Edificio de Espana was built between 1947 and 1953 and is the most elegant of the two skyscrapers. There are 25 story towers flanked by two wings.

Square is located at the end of the Gran Via street. This beautiful plaza has a large fountain and a monument to Cervantes the great figure of Spanish literature known for writing Don Quixote. There you can also see bronze statue of Don Quixote de la Mancha on his horse and his trusty squire Sancho Panza on his mule. On this square you can found two Madrid largest buldings: the Edificio de Espana and Torre de Madrid.

1 more image

Facing the Cervantes Monument you will see looming behind a large stepped building. The Espana building was built between 1947 and 1953 by the Compania Inmobiliaria Metropolitana. Prior to new modern buildings now making their mark on the skyline, the Espana building was the tallest building in Madrid. There are 5 entrances into the building and 30 lifts which access a range of offices, shops, flats and a hotel. On the top floor is a café with fabulous views of the city including the Gran Via.

3 more images

A large obelisk sits in the centre of Plaza de Espana which was built in1928. Raised on a pedestal in the front is a statue of the Spain’s greatest writer, Miguel de Cervantes. He was born in 1537 in Alcala de Henares but it wasn’t until he was almost 60yrs old that he wrote the first of a two part masterpiece Don Quixote. He died in Madrid in 1616 on the same day as Shakespeare.

The Plaza de Espana is reached from the Gran Via in an area which was once known as the Prado de Leganitos. This particular area was chosen for the construction of the Cervantes Monument which is surrounded by lawns, trees and a pool, making it a very popular park for everyone.

4 more images

At Plaza de Espana stood the most popular monument for camera happy trigger tourist like us.

The monument was built honouring Miguel de Cervantes who was a novelist, poet and a playwright. The famous ‘Don Quixote of La Mancha’ is a novel written by him.

The statue Cervantes is looking over his creations at the bronze statues of Don Quixote on his horse and Sancho Panza on his mule.