Aerial view of Plaza Mayor, Madrid, Spain Aug 29, 2025

Aerial view of Plaza Mayor, Madrid, Spain

Seen from above, the uniform arcades and tiled rooftops of Plaza Mayor in Madrid—the capital of Spain—create a captivating architectural harmony. Once the site of a bustling market square known as the Plaza del Arrabal, this historic space has witnessed the city"s transformation over the centuries. The shift began in 1561, when the plaza came under Madrid"s jurisdiction after the royal court moved from Toledo. Inspired by a vision of order and grandeur, King Philip II reimagined the square—though construction did not actually begin until 1617, under the reign of Philip III.

© AirPano LLC/Amazing Aerial Agency

palette

Today in History

Aug 29, 2018A spectacle unlike any other
Aug 29, 2019Greetings from Asbury Park
Aug 29, 2020Big wheels on a big mountain
Aug 29, 2021Notes from an underground lake
Aug 29, 2022Baltic Sea, Estonia
Aug 29, 2023American bison, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Aug 29, 2024Castellfollit de la Roca, Catalonia, Spain

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Jul 25, 2019Jane’s Carousel delights
Sep 5, 2023Mount Segla, Senja Island, Norway
Feb 1, 2024Black History Month
Jul 18, 2025Gulf Islands National Seashore, Florida
Sep 17, 2024Mid-Autumn Festival
Aug 14, 2021When Death Valley blew its top
Mar 26, 2024Vinh Hy Bay, Vietnam
Jul 25, 2020Going with the floe
May 12, 2022International Nurses Day
Mar 23, 2022World Meteorological Day
Apr 5, 2023Black grouses lekking
Jun 28, 2024Pride 2024
Aug 31, 2020At the shore of an inland sea
Jul 2, 2020All Rhodes lead to the beach
Oct 17, 2019Red-leaf hunting in Japan
Jun 7, 2020A hermitage with a view
Mar 27, 2018Macro photograph of a migrant hawker dragonfly
May 24, 2024European Day of Parks
Dec 13, 2019Taking the scenic route
Aug 8, 2023Infinity Day
Feb 12, 2025Celebrating Charles Darwin
Aug 25, 2018Happy trails for the 21st century
Mar 7, 2026The Brocken, Harz National Park, Germany
Jul 6, 2022Kissing Day
Nov 5, 2019Balloons and camels are two ways to catch a ride here
Jun 30, 2020We re gonna need a bigger birdhouse
Sep 15, 2020For Hispanic Heritage Month: Out of Many, One
Feb 23, 2025Mount Fuji Day
Jan 9, 2021The stylish Spanish shawl
Jul 20, 2022National Moon Day