This square in Málaga is considered an 'icon of our country'

In Spain, monuments are not limited to grand churches, castles, or constructions honoring historical figures who paved the way for their city. There are also other elements like squares, meeting points full of life and stories that define many locales. Every major city and town has at least one that defines it, that sets it apart, that is emblematic.

Regarding the best squares in Spain, those that are "a true icon of our country," among them is one of the most emblematic squares of Málaga, surprisingly not the central Plaza de la Constitución, but also in the center, the Plaza de la Merced.

"This square, located at the end of Alcazabilla Street, hosts the obelisk in honor of General Torrijos and the Birthplace of Picasso, today the headquarters of the Picasso Foundation. Formerly known as Plaza del Mercado and Plaza de Riego, in memory of the liberal general of the 19th century, this space has witnessed the life and evolution of numerous prominent figures," mention sources from El Confidencial, highlighting the Plaza de la Merced alongside other renowned squares in Spain such as the Plaza Mayor of Madrid or Salamanca, the Plaza de España of Sevilla, or the Plaza del Pilar of Zaragoza.

"From its days as a public market in the 15th century to becoming a leisure spot for the bourgeoisie in the 19th century, Plaza de la Merced has seen politicians, sculptors, writers, architects, and painters, among them Picasso, who played and possibly took his first artistic steps in this very square," they argue and highlight about the Plaza de la Merced, in constant evolution: "It was here where his parents met and where the bells of the Merced church rang, a familiar sound for the vendors, musicians, maids, and soldiers who frequented the square."

The most iconic squares in Spain.

• Plaza Mayor (Madrid)
• Plaza de España (Sevilla)
• Plaza del Obradoiro (Santiago de Compostela)
• Plaza del Pilar (Zaragoza)
• Plaza Mayor (Salamanca)
• Plaza de la Virgen Blanca (Vitoria-Gasteiz)
• Plaza de la Corredera (Córdoba)
• Plaza del Castillo (Pamplona)
• Plaza de la Merced (Málaga)
• Plaza Mayor (Trujillo, Cáceres)
• Plaza Mayor (Vic, Barcelona)