Plaza de la Constituci贸n (Constitution Square), San Sebastian (must see)
By September 1813, the French Commander, Louis Emmanuel Rey, was forced to surrender San Sebastian to British and Portuguese forces commanded by Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington. Rey and his troops were allowed to leave with honors. The town was ravaged and burned for seven days. The town reconstruction was well underway by 1817.
Architect Pedro Manuel de Ugartemend铆a, one of the people most involved in the renaissance of San Sebastian, built the new Constitution Square (Plaza de la Constitucion) on the site, previously occupied by a square constructed by architect Hercules Torrelli in 1723.
The buildings surrounding the square have arched arcades of equal height on the ground floors. On the long sides of the square, there are 20 arches. Nine arches line the shorter sides. The arcaded buildings have three floors with balconies. Louvered double doors with numbers above each one of the windows line the balconies.
Once, Constitution Square was used for bullfights, and the numbered doors served as boxes for passionate fans. At the end of the square is the Neoclassical style former City Hall, now the Municipal Library. The new City Hall (Ayuntamiento) is housed in the old Gran Casino building constructed in 1887.
Nowadays, Constitution Square is home to terraced bars, cafes, and flower vendors. The most significant events and celebrations are hosted here. Tamborrada is a celebratory drum festival held every year on January 20. On Saint Thomas Day, there are stalls selling chistorra (a sort of cooked sausage) throughout the square.
Architect Pedro Manuel de Ugartemend铆a, one of the people most involved in the renaissance of San Sebastian, built the new Constitution Square (Plaza de la Constitucion) on the site, previously occupied by a square constructed by architect Hercules Torrelli in 1723.
The buildings surrounding the square have arched arcades of equal height on the ground floors. On the long sides of the square, there are 20 arches. Nine arches line the shorter sides. The arcaded buildings have three floors with balconies. Louvered double doors with numbers above each one of the windows line the balconies.
Once, Constitution Square was used for bullfights, and the numbered doors served as boxes for passionate fans. At the end of the square is the Neoclassical style former City Hall, now the Municipal Library. The new City Hall (Ayuntamiento) is housed in the old Gran Casino building constructed in 1887.
Nowadays, Constitution Square is home to terraced bars, cafes, and flower vendors. The most significant events and celebrations are hosted here. Tamborrada is a celebratory drum festival held every year on January 20. On Saint Thomas Day, there are stalls selling chistorra (a sort of cooked sausage) throughout the square.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in San Sebastian. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Plaza de la Constituci贸n (Constitution Square) on Map
Sight Name: Plaza de la Constituci贸n (Constitution Square)
Sight Location: San Sebastian, Spain (See walking tours in San Sebastian)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: San Sebastian, Spain (See walking tours in San Sebastian)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in San Sebastian, Spain
Create Your Own Walk in San Sebastian
Creating your own self-guided walk in San Sebastian is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Mount Urgull Walking Tour
Mount Urgull is a promontory stretching out at the eastern end of La Concha Bay, surrounded by water on all sides, except the one linking it to the Old Town of San Sebastian. Historically, this mount, rising 123 meters above sea level, served as a strategic defense point for the city, attesting to which now are the remnants of old fortifications with cannons still in place.
From its elevated... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
From its elevated... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
San Sebastian Introduction Walking Tour
San Sebastian has long been well-known as a popular tourist destination thanks to its beautiful crescent-shaped urban beach, delicious Basque cuisine, and lively nightlife. The scenic La Concha Bay is like a perfectly shaped spa sitting beside the city.
Named after the monastery of San Sebastian, the city traces its history back to 1181, when the King of Navarre, Sancho VI Garces, granted the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
Named after the monastery of San Sebastian, the city traces its history back to 1181, when the King of Navarre, Sancho VI Garces, granted the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles