Plaza de San Juan de Dios

The Plaza de San Juan de Dios is the main square of Cádiz and the natural starting point for visiting the old town, since it lies right beside the port, and many visitors arrive here from cruise ships, buses and trains. It is a wide, open square with palm trees, benches and the terraces of cafes, and it opens toward the harbour on one side, so the sea breeze reaches it. The square has existed since the sixteenth century, and it has always been the civic centre of Cádiz, where merchants, sailors and officials met. Its name comes from Saint John of God, the founder of a hospital order, whose hospital was established here in the sixteenth century.

The square is framed by two significant buildings. The Ayuntamiento, the town hall, stands on the north side with a long neoclassical front built in the nineteenth century, adorned with columns and a pediment, and a second façade of earlier date in a Renaissance manner, which gives the building a layered look. Close to it stands the Church of San Juan de Dios, with a Baroque façade and an elegant interior. Between them, a pedestrian street leads into the maze of streets of the old town, and the other side of the square opens toward the port and the Plaza de España.

Cádiz has long been a trading city, and the square speaks of that. The port that lies beside it was one of the chief gateways to the Americas for centuries, and in the eighteenth century the city became the base for Spain's trade with the colonies, which brought great wealth, as can be seen in the tall merchant houses with their watchtowers around the city. The city also holds an important place in Spanish constitutional history, since the first liberal constitution of Spain was proclaimed here in 1812 by the Cortes, which met in Cádiz during the Napoleonic invasion.

The plaza is a natural meeting point, and in the evenings the cafe terraces and benches fill with residents and visitors. Many guided walks and audio tours begin or end here, and the central location makes it a convenient reference point. From here, the Cathedral of Cádiz, the Roman Theatre and the Torre Tavira are all within a short walk through the old streets, and the Mercado Central is just behind the square. The Playa de la Caleta and the Castillo de San Sebastián lie on the other side of the old town.

The square is free and open at all times, and it suits everyone. Morning is quiet, and the late afternoon and evening are the liveliest.