Plaza de Armas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Plaza de Armas (Plaza of Arms) is the name for the main square in many Latin American cities. While some large cities have both a Plaza de Armas and a Plaza Mayor, in most cities those are two names for the same place.
Most cities constructed by the Spanish Conquistadores were designed on a standard military fashion based on a grid pattern, taken from the Roman Castrum, of which one of the blocks would be left vacant to form the Plaza de Armas. It is often surrounded by governmental buildings, churches, and other structures of cultural or political significance. The name derives from the fact that this are would be a refuge in case of an attack upon the city, from which arms would be supplied to the defenders.
[edit] Main examples of Plaza de Armas in the Hispanic World
- Plaza de Armas of Havana, Cuba.
- Plaza de Armas of Pisco, Peru.
- Plaza de la Independencia (Independence Plaza) of Concepción, Chile (where Chilean independence was proclaimed in 1818).
- Plaza de Armas of Santiago de Chile.
- Plaza de Armas of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
- Plaza de Armas of Seville, Spain
de:Plaza de ArmasPileta plaza.JPGPlaza de Armas in Arequipa, Peru
Plaza de Armas Concepción.jpgPlaza de la Independencia, Concepción, Chile
Sevilla2005July 052.jpgPlaza de Armas, Seville
Plaza de Valdivia.JPGPlaza de Armas in Valdivia
es:Plaza de armas fr:Plaza de Armas sv:Plaza de Armas
