San Miguel Market

Chapter 3/11 · Madrid

This iron and glass building is the San Miguel Market. It was built between 1913 and 1916 by the architect Alfonso Dubé y Díez, inspired by European iron markets such as Les Halles in Paris, and it opened in 1916 as a food market. Its most notable feature is that it keeps its original iron structure.

Before the market, the parish church of San Miguel de los Octoes stood here; it already existed in the early 13th century, and Lope de Vega was baptised in it. It was badly damaged by the fire of 1790, and Joseph Bonaparte had it demolished in 1809. An open-air market with wooden stalls was set up in the small square left behind.

In 2009 it became a gourmet market, and today it brings together tapas stalls and products from all over Spain. It is a good place to take a break and try something.

Now we go out to Calle Mayor and follow it a few steps west to the Plaza de la Villa.

← Plaza Mayor (Main Square) · Plaza de la Villa (Town Hall Square) →