Callao Square
square in Madrid
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
Buildings on the Square include:
Cine Callao
El Corte Inglés department store at #2, 9 stories, part of a multi-building store complex
Fnac
La Adriática building at Plaza de Callao #3 (Gran Vía #39)
Hotel Florida (demolished)
See also
Piccadilly Circus
Times Square
Sankofa Square
Shibuya
References
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.
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