Villa Square (Madrid)
Villa Square was one of the main points of the Middle Ages. From here emerged the three most important streets—Codo, Cordón and Madrid—in the then-Villa of Madrid.
It was known at first as Saint Salvador Square due to the homonymous church located on Calle Mayor. Later, in the middle of the 15th century, it acquired its current name when Madrid received the name of Noble and Loyal Villa at the hands of Henry IV.
Another great attraction of Villa Square is that it is home to two of the oldest buildings in Madrid: Lujanes Tower and the Cisneros House.
Lujanes Tower is part of a complex of a Gothic-Mudejar architectural style built in the 15th century as an annex to the residence of the wealthy family of Aragonese merchants with the surname Lujanes. On its Gothic-style doorway, you can still admire the heraldry. Currently, the Torre de los Lujanes serves as the headquarters of the Royal Academy of Moral and Political Sciences.
Cisneros House is a superb Plateresque-style palace-house built in 1537. It was named in honour of the nephew of Cardinal Cisneros, Benito Juárez de Cisneros, who promoted the project. Its façade, which faces Sacramento Street, was originally the main one and is the one with the greatest heritage and artistic wealth, as it is preserved almost intact.
Among its peculiarities is its new façade, which was built at the beginning of the 20th century after the City Council acquired the property and undertook a significant renovation to integrate the palace into the rooms of the House of the Villa.
It was known at first as Saint Salvador Square due to the homonymous church located on Calle Mayor. Later, in the middle of the 15th century, it acquired its current name when Madrid received the name of Noble and Loyal Villa at the hands of Henry IV.
Another great attraction of Villa Square is that it is home to two of the oldest buildings in Madrid: Lujanes Tower and the Cisneros House.
Lujanes Tower is part of a complex of a Gothic-Mudejar architectural style built in the 15th century as an annex to the residence of the wealthy family of Aragonese merchants with the surname Lujanes. On its Gothic-style doorway, you can still admire the heraldry. Currently, the Torre de los Lujanes serves as the headquarters of the Royal Academy of Moral and Political Sciences.
Cisneros House is a superb Plateresque-style palace-house built in 1537. It was named in honour of the nephew of Cardinal Cisneros, Benito Juárez de Cisneros, who promoted the project. Its façade, which faces Sacramento Street, was originally the main one and is the one with the greatest heritage and artistic wealth, as it is preserved almost intact.
Among its peculiarities is its new façade, which was built at the beginning of the 20th century after the City Council acquired the property and undertook a significant renovation to integrate the palace into the rooms of the House of the Villa.
Location
Civil Buildings in Madrid
Religious Buildings in Madrid
Museums in Madrid
