The Plaza de la Independencia is located in Madrid, Community of Madrid, Spain.
It is crossed from east to west by Calle de Alcalá and is also joined by Calle de Serrano to the north and Calle de Alfonso XII to the south. At its north-west end is Calle Salustiano Olózaga and, to the south-east, is Avenida de Méjico, which runs entirely along the El Retiro Park.
Characteristics
The place is one of the most symbolic in the Spanish capital, as it houses the Puerta de Alcalá, one of the most famous Madrid monuments. It was built in 1778 at the request of Charles III of Spain, according to a project by the architect Francesco Sabatini. The current layout of the square began to take shape in 1869, when the fence that delimited the city to the east and was attached to the gate was demolished. A circular space was created, presided over at its centre by the Puerta de Alcalá.
The outline of the enclosure is formed by the buildings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, built during the expansion of Madrid. On the south-eastern side is the Puerta de la Independencia, one of the main entrances to the El Retiro Park.
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