Plaça Reial

The Plaça Reial ("Royal Plaza" in English) is a rectangular square located in the district of Ciutat Vella in Barcelona, which is the only square in the city with arcades. It was named in honour of King Fernando VII and was built during his absolute monarchy. It was originally named the "Spanish Heroes Square", however since the king did not allow any public places to have names referrng to the liberal values, the name was changed.

The square was designed by Francesc Daniel Molina i Casamajor and was built in 1848. At first, the idea was to build a theatre in this area, however due to the opening of the Lyceum Theatre this idea was abandoned. The square is located at the end of Las Ramblas and can be accessed through different streets, e.g. the passage of Bacardi, which was the first covered walkway built in the city.

The Plaza is always teeming with people and is best known for its vivid nightlife. It is also one of the most common meeting spots in the city. In the centre of the square, there is a fountain called the "Three Graces", designed by Antoni Rovira i Trias in 1876. Moreover, scattered around the square, there are several palm trees accompanied by modernist lamps designed by Antoni Gaudí. In the square you can find many restaurants with terraces and recreation rooms.

The plaza was completely renovated in 1982 by architects Joan Margarit and Alfonso Milà. Since 1988, the square is twinned with the Plaza Garibaldi in Mexico City.