Plazuela de San Javier is a very small plaza and a real treasure that is hidden in the very centre of Madrid, and if you do not expressly look for it you will most probably not see it. This tiny plaza is considered to be the smallest one in Madrid. It is located in the neighbourhood of Palacio, being an extension of Calle del Conde and so it is hidden between the narrow streets of the area, and therefore, it is difficult to find.

We can say that if the passer-by has no idea where this small square is located, then it is most likely that he/she will never find it. This is because the narrow streets in the city centre of Madrid are like a spiderweb and thus it is easy for Plazuela de San Javier to go unnoticed. However, we must say that those who find it are very pleasantly surprised as it is a beautiful small square with a lot of charm. In addition, there are hardly no noises there as it is quite a secluded place and once there it feels as if you are away from the bustle, the traffic and the crowds of Madrid.

Another curious sensation that this small square provokes is the way in which it appears before us; the visitor has the feeling that it has come out of nowhere because one suddenly comes upon it when strolling along Calle del Conde without being aware of how one has arrived there. This happens because this small plaza practically overlaps the street and there is hardly any transition between one and the other. Passers-by find this little square an apparition; and this is probably why it has preserved some mystery and legend which has made the place even more appealing. Today, we have chosen this little plaza for our section Corners in Madrid and where we last wrote about San Antonio de los Alemanes Church. Come and join us!

A PLACE FOR MEDITATION

The first existing documentation regarding Plazuela de San Javier is the Plan of Texeira which dates back to 1656. The name of the little square is due to an image of San Francisco de Javier which was in a Society of Jesus house located there and very close to Plaza de la Villa.

The small square is so tiny that it only has two numbers. It is located just a few minutes away from Plaza Mayor, nestled in Madrid de los Austrias and its buildings and corners have all the charm of Madrid at that time. When the original site was built, between the XI and XII century, Islamic remains were found there. The little square has an almost fairy tale-like atmosphere, a tiny, beautiful and cosy place with all the traditional colour of Madrid. Ramón Gómez de la Serna himself described it as “a secluded place for meditation where the typical Madrid is forged”.

This tiny square consists of three façades which form part of the history of the old Madrid. The former Palacio de Revillagigedo overlooked the square but later it was replaced by the current building where the writer Eugenio d´Ors lived. The other two façades correspond to a building which was constructed between 1610 and 1625, even though the year 1724 is put on the inscription. This building, which had underground galleries during the Civil War, was remodeled in the 90´s by the architect Juan López. We can still admire the beautiful stone lintels that protrude from the red bricks and decorate the façade.

A HISTORIC INN

On the southeast side of the little square the Mesón de San Javier is located. It is a historic place because the bandit Luis Candelas visited it at some point. In addition, it is generally believed that one of the lackeys of Felipe II was accommodated there. In 1949, the inn was renovated by the architect Enrico Luchetti and was turned into a restaurant. Gómez de la Serna himself mentioned it in his book Elucidario de Madrid.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…?

Several scenes of the mythical zarzuela Luisa Fernanda took place in Plazuela de San Javier. Later, in 1932, the premiere was held at Teatro Calderón.