Plaza de la Provincia
A square located in the heart of the Madrid de los Austrias (Hapsburg Madrid) district.
Exiting the Plaza Mayor to the southeast, we find the Plaza de la Provincia, from which, running in the same direction Calle Atocha originates. It also connects with the Plaza de la Santa Cruz, which lends its name to the most important building in the square, the Palace of Santa Cruz, which is nowadays the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. The complex is the nerve centre of the Madrid de los Austrias (Hapsburg Madrid), and a must-see spot for the numerous tourist routes that run through the city centre.
The Plaza shares its style and buildings with the Plaza Mayor, and even the same type of arcades which house typical shops for tourists. In its centre, two monuments stand out; on the one hand, a replica of the Orpheus Fountain, the original of which can be seen at the National Archaeological Museum, and on the other hand, a monolith that commemorates Spain’s becoming a member of the European Union.
Opposite stands the Palace of Santa Cruz, built in 1636 as a prison and which has been put to several institutional uses throughout its history. It is considered one of the most emblematic buildings of the Madrid de los Austrias (Hapsburg Madrid) district. Its façade combines brick and granite with Herrerian aesthetics from the late renaissance, with angular towers and a horizontal doorway crowned by the royal coat of arms.
Updated: 06/09/2020
Useful information
Permit procedure
The filming permits to shoot on the streets of the city of Madrid are managed by the Filming Authorization Bureau. For more information on these permits and how to process them, read the How to film in Madrid page.
