Before and After

Works of Plaza Santo Domingo. Photos before and after.

Where today is the Plaza de Santo Domingo in Madrid, way back in 1218, there was a Dominican convent, founded by Domingo de Guzman.

This was demolished in the time of Joseph I Bonaparte, where they placed an outdoor flower market, in this same area.

Joseph I, was known as “King Squares”, since he opened many places in the capital, mainly demolishing churches and convents.

Santo Domingo Plaza

In the early twentieth century, Santo Domingo Square was built, where before there was a partially underground parking lot. Partialy, as you can see on the picture below, due to the difference in the level of the hill called Cuesta Santo Domingo.

On both pictures, you can see the before and after of the refurbishment works of Plaza Santo Domingo.

Old parking in the Plaza Santo Domingo, before the demolition on February 2006.

Below, you can see a view to the south, showing the front façade of the parking lot that was there until 2006. This was the first underground parking lot in Spain.

Plaza Santo Domingo, before the works, in March 2006.

The stairs below, are located on the west side of the square, a few meters from the Opera and the Plaza de Oriente. This is part of the plan of the City of Madrid, which aims to make a pedestrian zone in the centre of the city.