Aerial view of Plaza Mayor, Madrid, Spain 29 Aug 2025

Seen from above, the uniform arcades and tiled rooftops of Plaza Mayor in Madrid—the capital of Spain—create a captivating architectural harmony. Once the site of a bustling market square known as the Plaza del Arrabal, this historic space has witnessed the city"s transformation over the centuries. The shift began in 1561, when the plaza came under Madrid"s jurisdiction after the royal court moved from Toledo. Inspired by a vision of order and grandeur, King Philip II reimagined the square—though construction did not actually begin until 1617, under the reign of Philip III.

© AirPano LLC/Amazing Aerial Agency

palette

Today in History

Aug 28, 2023Dubrovnik, Croatia
It’s party time
29 Aug 2024Castellfollit de la Roca, Catalonia, Spain

More Desktop Wallpapers:

18 Mar 2024Elephant Rock, Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia
6 Sep 2025Rufous hummingbird, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California, United States
22 Mar 2025Happy World Water Day!
4 Jul 2025Orosei, Sardinia, Italy
An ocean of stars above the desert
Two hungry baby beavers
24 Jan 2024Diamond Beach, Iceland
Lighting up the Dolomites
4 Jan 2024Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California, USA
23 Jun 2025Elbe river in Dresden, Saxony, Germany
To the infinite and back
Spring is coming
5 Jul 2025Pride in London
Happy St Andrews Day!
8 Aug 2025Bristol International Balloon Fiesta
4 Oct 2023World Space Week
19 Oct 2023Mekong River Delta, Long An, Vietnam
Clouds dance above Sundance
Frosty Finland
A pink moon over Arizona
27 Nov 2023Rio Negro
Why is this cliffside ablaze?
17 Jun 2024Green-crowned brilliant hummingbird
Have a merry little Christmas
10 Jan 2026The Matterhorn reflected in Lake Stellisee, Zermatt, Switzerland
4 Nov 2025Tower Bridge, London
Reflecting on Christmas
15 Nov 2023Rapa Valley in Sarek National Park, Sweden
21 Jun 2025Summer solstice
Connecting the dots