Seen from above, the uniform arcades and tiled rooftops of Plaza Mayor in Madrid—the capital of Spain—create a captivating architectural harmony. Once the site of a bustling market square known as the Plaza del Arrabal, this historic space has witnessed the city"s transformation over the centuries. The shift began in 1561, when the plaza came under Madrid"s jurisdiction after the royal court moved from Toledo. Inspired by a vision of order and grandeur, King Philip II reimagined the square—though construction did not actually begin until 1617, under the reign of Philip III.
Aerial view of Plaza Mayor, Madrid, Spain
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
-
Manatees rebound
-
Saguaro cacti, Ironwood Forest National Monument, Arizona
-
Brooklyn Bridge Park in Brooklyn, New York
-
Winter solstice
-
We re gonna need a bigger birdhouse
-
A whale of a hug
-
Cloudy with a chance of enlightenment
-
What’s blooming in New Zealand?
-
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah
-
Everyone s watching the Perseids
-
Don’t look down
-
Hello, harbinger of spring
-
In Texas, even the riverbend is big
-
Lavender fields in Plateau de Valensole, France
-
The Door County Coastal Byway in Wisconsin
-
Celtic Colours International Festival, Canada
-
Hiding in plain sight
-
‘The memory of Abraham Lincoln is enshrined forever’
-
Squirrel Appreciation Day
-
Village of Zahara de la Sierra, Cadiz, Spain
-
Everglades National Park turns 75
-
Sweetheart Abbey, Scotland
-
Antarctica Day
-
Southern gemsbok in the savannah, Botswana
-
Shark Awareness Day
-
A sizzling summit hides in the clouds
-
A narrow passage
-
Gray days ahead in Monterey
-
Snow aglow in central Japan
-
Khao Sok National Park in Thailand
Bing Wallpaper Gallery

