Plaza del Dos de Mayo
The Plaza del Dos de Mayo is an urban square in Madrid, Spain. It is the neuralgic centre of the Malasaña area,[1] within the administrative neighborhood of Universidad.
 View of the square in 2015 | |
| |
| Namesake | Dos de Mayo Uprising |
|---|---|
| Type | square |
| Maintained by | Ayuntamiento of Madrid |
| Location | Centro, Madrid, Spain |
| Postal code | 28004 |
| Coordinates | 40.426975°N 3.704064°W |
Its name remembers the Dos de Mayo Uprising in 1808 that marked the beginning of the Spanish War of Independence.[2] The plaza features a monumental arch in its centre dedicated to Luis Daoíz and Pedro Velarde, two soldiers fallen to the French army on 2 May 1808 who became heroes in the national imaginary.[2] The area was the place where the Monteleón Artillery barracks lied in 1808 and where the heroic defense of the aforementioned "martyrs" took place.[3]
In 1868 there was already an open semicircular space,[3] but it left much to be desired. The municipal authorities, aware of the potential symbolic value, decided to refurbish and put the area in value.[3] Following the demolishing of the Convent of Las Maravillas, the remains of the palace of the Dukes of Monteleón and further housing in order to create a gardened space with the monumental arch in its centre,[2] the area was inaugurated on 1 May 1869.[2]
More recently, the plaza became a preferential location for casual alcohol consumption.[4]
References
- Cruz, Luis de la (8 March 2003). "Dos de Mayo, la plaza". Somos Malasaña. El Periódico.
- Cantalapiedra, Ricardo (2 May 1995). "Memorias de una plaza". El País.
- Hernando Carrasco, Javier (1987). Las bellas artes y la revolución de 1868. Oviedo: Universidad de Oviedo. Servicio de Publicaciones. pp. 87–89.
- Hidalgo, Carlos (23 April 2018). "Botellódromo» sin control en la plaza del Dos de Mayo". ABC.