Plaza de la Merced

Plaza de la Merced is a public square located in the barrio La Merced in central Málaga, Spain.

Plaza de la Merced
Plaza del Mercado
Plaza de Riego
OwnerAyuntamiento de Málaga
LocationMálaga, Spain
QuarterBarrio la Merced
Coordinates36.7234°N 4.4175°W / 36.7234; -4.4175
EastCalle Victoria
SouthCalle Álamos

The plaza has been a part of the city since the city of Málaga's Roman era, and has been operating as a town market place since at least the fifteenth century.[1]

It is one of the largest public squares in Málaga’s city center, and is also known for containing Pablo Picasso's childhood home.[2]

History
Statue of Pablo Picasso in the plaza

Since Rome, the area now known as Plaza de la Merced was, as it is today, an open public space.

During the Arabic rule of the city, the plaza fell outside of the city's exterior wall, and was located near the entrance la Puerta de Granada through which Ferdinand and Isabel entered in 1487 upon conquering the city.[2][3][1]

In the 15th century the square operated as a public market. For this reason, it was previously called Plaza del mercado (Market square).[2]

In 1507 Mercedarian friars arrived in the plaza, acquiring a plot of land on which they built a church, the plaza then takes its name from the friars order. The temple stood there until 1931.[1]

In the 1820s it was named Plaza Riego after the General Riego who had resided in building located in the Plaza.[1]

Features
Monumento a Torrijos located in the center of Plaza de la Merced

Monumento a Torrijos

Monumento a Torrijos (Monument to Torrijos) is a 19th-century monument located in the center of the plaza. Spanish architect Rafael Mitjana designed the monument in honor of General José María Torrijos and 48 of his companions who were shot to death on order of Ferdinand VII . The base of the monument houses the remains of the men.[4][5]

Picasso statue

The statue was built by Francisco López Hernández and installed in 2008. The bronze statue measures 1.4 meters in height, and depicts Picasso sitting on a marble bench taking notes with a pencil. The statue occupies part of a bench, allowing visitors to sit next to it.[6]

Casa natal de Picasso

The house in which Pablo Picasso was born is located at number 15 of the plaza. The house now operates as a museum, and the building is the headquarters of the Pablo Ruiz Picasso Foundation.[2][7]

See also

References
  1. "Plaza de la Merced: la historia entre cuatro esquinas". Diario Sur (in Spanish). 1 May 2010.
  2. "Plaza de la Merced (Mercy Square)". malagaturismo.com. Ayuntamiento de Málaga. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  3. Lara García, María Pepa (25 June 2017). "Los orígenes de la plaza de la Merced". La Opinion de Málaga (in Spanish).
  4. "Torrijos Monument". malagaturismo.com. Ayuntamiento de Málaga. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  5. Moreno, Lourdes. "Héroes bajo el obelisco". Diario Sur (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  6. "Picasso vuelve a su plaza de la Merced de Málaga". Diario sur (in Spanish). Málaga. 5 December 2008.
  7. Jones, Brian (2013). Walk with Me. Malaga: Footsteps Guides. p. 3. ISBN 978-0-9561014-1-9.
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