Plaza de Armas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Plaza de Armas (Plaza of Arms) is the name for the main square in many Latin American cities. While some large cities have both a Plaza de Armas and a Plaza Mayor, in most cities those are two names for the same place.
Most cities constructed by the Spanish Conquistadores were designed on a standard military fashion based on a grid pattern, taken from the Roman Castrum, of which one of the blocks would be left vacant to form the Plaza de Armas. It is often surrounded by governmental buildings, churches, and other structures of cultural or political significance. The name derives from the fact that this are would be a refuge in case of an attack upon the city, from which arms would be supplied to the defenders.
[edit] Main examples of Plaza de Armas in the Hispanic World
- Plaza de Armas of Pisco, Peru: Where people get together and meet. The Plaza contains many landmarks including the 18th century Cathedral, the baroque Iglesia de la Compañía and an elaborate main post office that was once the Spanish governor's residence. The square became the base of administrative, commercial and social life when the city was founded in 1541 and today it remains the centre of life in the city. There is always something to do because there are people from all walks of life, local artists and buskers, or at night with games.
- Plaza de la Independencia (Independence Plaza) of Concepción, Chile: It was where Chilean independence was proclaimed for the first time, the January 1, 1818.
- Plaza de Armas of Santiago de Chile.
- Plaza de Armas of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
- Plaza de Armas of Seville, Spain
