It lies in the
Palacio neighborhood, part of the
Centro District. '' (late 17th-century). It was known as "Plaza de San Salvador" in ancient times, as it was located near the (now defunct) Church of San Salvador, in whose
atrium the primitive municipal council convened (the church was demolished in 1842). In 1463
Henry IV of Castile granted a market day in the square on Tuesdays. The
Casa de los Lujanes (with its adjacent tower), dated from the 15th-century, is the oldest civil building in Madrid. The tradition states the tower was the location where
Francis I of France was held captive after his capture in the 1525
Battle of Pavia. Other buildings in the square are the 16th-century
Casa de Cisneros and the old city hall, the
Casa de la Villa de Madrid. The primitive (or
Fuente de la Villa), located in the centre of the square, also disappeared. In 1888,
a statue of Álvaro de Bazán by sculptor
Mariano Benlliure was commissioned for the 300th anniversary of his death; the square was chosen as location both because of its centrality and because of its small size the sculpture would stand out the most; the inauguration took place on 19 December 1891. == See also ==