Plaza Mayor, Salamanca

[2] It is lined by restaurants, ice cream parlors, tourist shops, jewelry stores and a pharmacy along its perimeter except in front of the city hall.

[5] Felipe V ordered the construction of the plaza to be used for bullfighting and was designed by the Churriguera family in sandstone.

Salamanca is known as La Dorada, "The Golden City" because of the glow of its sandstone buildings, which the Plaza Mayor represents at its core.

[7] The plaza was originally designed to have 2 towers on each side of the clock, but were never completed based on fears that the portion would not be able to support the weight and thus the 1745 plan was used instead.

[7] The city hall is also located on this side of the plaza, also built in the baroque style with 5 granite arches and a steeple.

The front of the plaza, showing the clock tower in the background and social gatherings in the front
The entrance to the Café Novelty , founded in 1905, from the Plaza Mayor.
Plaque in the center of the plaza, which says Twentieth anniversary [of] Salamanca patrimony of humanity 1988-2008.
Model showing the 2 towers never completed