[2] The Santiago Square is mentioned over various centuries in multiple documents, and it still retains many of its medieval features.

The square they occupied was deemed an "unworthy" place, as evidenced by the scarcity of old photographs of it in postcards compared to other areas of the city.

[3] In the 19th century, there were projects to improve this square and the alleys attached to it, which was described as a place where every corner is a source of infection.

[3] In 1911, the republican newspaper Alvorada asked its readers to answer the following question: What is the most urgent and far-reaching work that the City Council should undertake?

He describes it as being an “antisocial and at the same time antigenic den that demoralizes our society, defiles our race and tarnishes the atmosphere that surrounds us, must be removed from the city center”.