The Plaza de Santa Ana is a mythical place in the capital which separates the areas of Plaza de Jacinto Benavente and Huertas, The latter includes the area around the beginning of Calle del Prado. It is a very important square and near Puerta del Sol where you can find some of the best bars in the centre of Madrid, with numerous leisure and restaurant options for different styles of public, but also with a more cultural leisure, such as that offered by the Spanish Theatre located in the middle of the square.
The Plaza de Santa Ana is a meeting point for friends, couples and families, especially on weekends, but also a place where you can find a must for the millions of tourists who visit Madrid. or for locals who love coffee, tapas, beer and terraces. In addition to the terraces of Santa Ana, the Irish bars are also common, inspired by the typical bars of Northern Europe and focused on a more foreign public, or its popular Hawaiian Bar. Mauna Loa, a must for anyone who wants to try a refreshing drink at a very original and traditional cave in the capital city. Nowadays, in the middle of the square there is also a children's park (Parque de Santa Ana en Madrid s/n) where you can enjoy your free time with the kids or rest for a while before continuing your stroll through the centre or the Santa Ana neighbourhood of Madrid.
Origins of the Plaza de Santa Ana
Where today we find the Plaza de Santa Ana, in the past there was the so-called Convent of Santa Ana, It was founded in 1586 by San Juan de la Cruz, who undertook its construction in place of Santa Teresa, who had always wanted to do so but was never able to. This convent belonged to the Discalced Carmelite nuns until its demolition in the 19th century. Thirty-eight years after its disappearance (the demolition was to take place in 1810, during the reign of Joseph Bonaparte), the square was to be built and given the same name as the convent.
The creation of the square was considered necessary to give some air and an outlet to the narrow streets and the general crowdedness of this area of the city. Barrio de las Letras, Since then, it has become a meeting point for Madrilenians and lovers and creators of literature and culture in general, which They went to the theatre and literary cafés there, as did the writer Ernest Hemingway. during their stays in the city of Madrid.
Where exactly is the Plaza de Santa Ana located?
The Santa Ana Square is located in a strategic enclave, a few metres from Puerta del Sol and Plaza Mayor, points from which it is very easy to reach on foot just a short walk away; but it is also close to other important points in the capital such as Paseo del Prado (the area that houses the city's main museums) or the popular area of Tirso de Molina.
In the square itself we can visit the building of the Teatro Español (formerly the Teatro Español). called the Prince's Theatre until 1849), which opened its doors on 21 September 1583 with plays by the writer Lope de Rueda. The theatre would experience its greatest splendour in the 17th century, being destroyed by fire two centuries later, in the summer of 1802, and restored five years later with the same building that we can visit today.
Directly in front of the theatre, on the west side of the square, you will find the famous Hotel Reina Victoria, built in 1916 with an impressive façade made up of incredible and beautiful windows overlooking the square and its permanent atmosphere. In between the two buildings, the hotel and the theatre, there are numerous bars, restaurants and cafés with typical Madrid products, tapas, cocktails and much more.
Outstanding sculptures in Santa Ana Square
At the same time, in the Plaza de Santa Ana we can also find two statues paying homage to two great Spanish writers, The playwright Pedro Calderón de la Barca (1600-1681) and the poet of the Generation of ’27 Federico García Lorca (1898-1936).
The statue of Calderón (made at the end of the 19th century) is at the western end of the square, just outside the hotel, and the Lorca sculpture is at the eastern end, just outside the doors of the Teatro Español. Calderón's sculpture shows the writer seated in a humanist pose, dressed in a cloak and accompanied by a book, paying homage to all literary genres and looking towards the theatre. For his part, the monument to Lorca (made at the end of the 20th century), recreates the poet standing in bronze holding a nightingale in his hands, very typical of his poems, also in the direction of the façade of the Teatro Español.
Essential leisure activities in the Plaza de Santa Ana
As we have had the opportunity to see, probably one of the most important buildings in the Plaza de Santa Ana is the Teatro Español, a symbol of the literary entertainment that reigned in this area centuries before the creation of the square itself, with Felipe II being the king in charge of its construction for the representation of the best classics of the country, and not only theatre, but also zarzuelas and operas. But we can also find in the square other typical places of Madrid's leisure activities, such as the Café Central (Situated a stone's throw from the Plaza de Santa Ana, in the so-called "Plaza de Santa Ana"). Angel Square), one of the best places to enjoy jazz music and other original live music shows while enjoying a coffee and a tasty snack or a beer and dinner in the evening.
Another current benchmark is the terrace of the ME Reina Victoria hotel, located on the rooftop of the building, and from the lime you can enjoy lunch, dinner or a refreshing drink while contemplating the impressive sky of Madrid and its incredible sunsets. And if you are travelling to Madrid and want to enjoy a good flamenco show in the capital, do not miss the opportunity to visit Flamenco Villa Rosa (founded in 1911) in Plaza de Santa Ana number 15, whose façade made of mosaics and painted tiles will already leave you speechless, inviting you to go further to discover one of its live flamenco shows along with some delicious tapas typical of Madrid.
