Plaza de Olavide

Madrid


Plaza de Olavide is one of Madrid’s most agreeable public spaces, a real barrio special. There are park benches, two children's playgrounds, and bars with outdoor tables all around the perimeter.

The plaza hasn't always had its current form. From 1934 the entire plaza was occupied by a covered, octagonal market. In November 1974, the market was demolished in a spectacular controlled explosion, opening up the square. To see the plaza’s history told in pictures, step into Bar Méntrida at No 3 to have a drink and admire the photos on the wall.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Madrid attractions

1. Estación de Chamberí

0.18 MILES

Estación de Chamberí, the long-lost ghost station of Madrid's metro, is now a museum piece that recreates the era of the station’s inauguration in 1919…

2. Museo Sorolla

0.48 MILES

The Valencian artist Joaquín Sorolla immortalised the clear Mediterranean light of the Valencian coast. His Madrid house, a quiet mansion surrounded by…

3. Museo de Historia

0.49 MILES

The fine Museo de Historia (formerly the Museo Municipal) has an elaborate and restored baroque entrance, raised in 1721 by Pedro de Ribera. Behind this…

4. Museo del Romanticismo

0.5 MILES

This intriguing museum is devoted to the Romantic period of the 19th century. It houses a minor treasure trove of mostly 19th-century paintings, furniture…

5. Sociedad General de Autores y Editores

0.57 MILES

This swirling, melting wedding cake of a building is as close as Madrid comes to the work of Antoni Gaudí, which so illuminates Barcelona. It’s a joyously…

6. Museo Municipal de Arte Contemporáneo

0.61 MILES

This rich collection of modern Spanish art includes mostly paintings and graphic art with a smattering of photography, sculpture and drawings. Highlights…

7. Antiguo Cuartel del Conde Duque

0.64 MILES

This grand former barracks dominates Conde Duque on Malasaña's western fringe with its imposing facade stretching 228m down the hill. Built in 1717 under…

8. Palacio de Liria

0.69 MILES

This 18th-century mansion, rebuilt after a fire in 1936, nestles amid the modern architecture just north of Plaza de España as a reminder of the days when…