Plaza de Oriente is located on the eastern side of the Royal Palace, which is why it received its name, which literally translates as "Eastern Square."
Plaza de Oriente is shaped like a horseshoe, inside which there is a wonderful square with statues of Spanish kings who ruled the state начиная с V века.
The design of this square began in the XIX century during the reign of Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon's elder brother, and was completed several decades later under Queen Isabella II. It was she who ordered the installation of a statue of King Philip IV in the center of the square. The sculptor Pietro Tacca undertook this work, depicting the monarch boldly seated on a rearing horse. Interestingly, the sculptor was aided in calculating the balance by the works of the great Galileo Galilei.
Today, local residents and tourists alike gladly come to Plaza de Oriente to relax in the shade of its numerous trees after a tiring day. Also on the square, besides the Royal Palace, are two other historic buildings - the opera house (Teatro Real) and Almudena Cathedral.
