We are FCC - Nº9

In the heart of Madrid, very close to the Royal Palace, is Plaza de Es- paña. The monument to Cervantes overlooks the enclosure and, while presiding, it does not lose sight of its famous characters: Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. The Plaza de España is ready to un- dergo an important transformation. It is immersed in an extraordinary re- modelling, centred on environmental commitment and on the use and en- joyment of people. Madrid’s symbolic location is expected to be dressed up in gala for its spring 2012 debut. Its nearly 37,000 square meters of surface have been transited by mi- llions of people who have posed in this majestic square as a symbol of Madrid and as a souvenir of their pas- sage through the city also known as the “Villa and Court”. For more than four centuries, the Pla- za de España has been the centre and one of the most significant pla- ces in Madrid. It has been a place of encounters and recreation, and the passage of centuries has served to strengthen the historical value of this unique space used for different pur- poses and different establishments. Recreational area Writings show that in the sixteenth century, during the reign of Philip II, this site was full of orchards that fed on the waters from the stream of Le- ganitos. It was also a place of recrea- tion where in summer many locals came to cool down with the air that came from the Sierra de Guadarrama and spend a pleasant time. Later, in the 18th century, this space became the centre of social life in the capital, which was visited mainly by the aristocracy with some frequency. In this century, urbanization began and, by order of Carlos III, a monas- tery was built that was never inhabi- ted and was later used as a military unit. In 1909 it was demolished due the of Plaza de España C O M M U N I T I E S 51 C O M M U N I T I E S