Plaza Mayor of Cáceres

The Plaza Mayor of Cáceres is the large, irregular square on the edge of the Old Town, Cáceres’ historic quarter, in Spain, and it is where almost every visit to the city starts. Cáceres, in Extremadura, has one of the best-preserved medieval centres in Europe, and the old town was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1986 for its mixture of Roman, Islamic, Gothic and Renaissance buildings. The Plaza Mayor sits just outside the walled enclosure, at the point where the historic centre meets the newer part of the city, and it serves as the main entrance to the walled quarter, the Ciudad Monumental, through the Arco de la Estrella.

The square is a broad open space lined with arcades, and it is surrounded by mixed buildings of different dates that house cafes, restaurants, shops, a hotel and the City Hall. It was the city’s market place for centuries, and it saw fairs, public celebrations and, in the past, executions, and it remained the centre of public life. The porticoes provide shade from the strong Extremaduran sun, and the terraces fill up in the evening. The atmosphere is lively and relaxed, with a mix of local people and visitors.

Several monuments frame the square. The Torre de Bujaco, a tower on the edge of the walls, is a Moorish-era work from the Almohad period of the twelfth century, and it stands about twenty-five metres high. It can be visited, and from the top there is a view of the square and the roofs, and it houses the Three Cultures Visitor Centre, which explains the city’s Christian, Muslim and Jewish heritage, the three cultures, Christian, Muslim and Jewish. Beside it stands the Torre de los Pulpitos, the Tower of the Pulpits, another tower with a long history, whose name is said to derive from the pulpits from which the town authorities used to proclaim announcements. The small Ermita de la Paz, a chapel dating from the thirteenth century, is also in the square. The Arco de la Estrella, the Star Arch, is the main gateway into the walled town, an elegant Baroque arch rebuilt in the 1720s by the architect Manuel de Lara Churriguera, on the site of an earlier gate in the walls, and it opens to a steep lane towards the cathedral square.

The square hosts a range of events during the year. In spring, the WOMAD world music festival fills the old town with concerts and street performances, and Easter and Holy Week are celebrated with solemn processions that pass through the arch. Local fairs and markets are held at other times, and the square is a gathering place for celebrations.

The plaza is open all day, and the specific towers have their own opening hours for the interior, so check locally. It is the best starting point for a walk through the old town, among the palaces and towers of the noble families, and the Co-Cathedral of Santa María is a short walk away. Early morning and evening are the best times to visit, since the midday heat is intense.