One of the strangest squares in Spain is located in a town in CórdobaCORDOVA
The Squares are a fundamental element in the design of cities and municipalities. In many cases they are a important recreation point, where neighbors gather to buy in the shops or markets that are located there, or simply to rest and relax. The classic structure of the squares is rectangular or even circularHowever, there are others that They are out of the ordinary and in the province of CordovaWe have a good example of this. And the thing is, a town in Córdoba has one of the squares with the strangest design in Spain.
A design rarity
And squares with eight sides are a rarity. Its origin dates back to Roman times.when they were used occasionally, looking for the geometric forms complex. The Muslims also used them for their city designs, but It was not until the Renaissance and Baroque when this distribution was resumed. On the one hand, interest in geometry resurfaced and on the other, the constant expansion of municipalities resulted in some projects being modified and resulting in locations with this shape. The most famous example of an octagonal plaza, even partially, is the Piazza del Popoloin Rome.
One square, eight sides
The San José square Aguilar de la FronteraIt is one of the strangest in Spain due to its design. Originally, it was not going to be like this, but they were a series of circumstances that led to this curious form. As indicated in the work of architect Rafael Fernández (University of Seville, 2017), the urban growth of Aguilar at the end of the 18th century prompted the creation of a plaza, where the market would be found. In 1806 the project was entrusted to Juan Vicente Gutiérrez of Salamanca, who also designed the Clock Tower.
Panoramic of the Plaza de San José.
As the aforementioned study points out, it was conceived as “a closed set” and marked by the adjacent buildings. However, the initial idea changed due to urban planning needs. The City Council finally wanted it to be Plaza Mayor or the Town Hall, so they left building public buildings next to the chosen location, “forgetting the symmetries” and that It resulted in an octagonal plan. The project was not completed until 1810.
The square also stands out for its neoclassical style and for his eight symmetrical sides, just over 25 meters each. They are communicated with the outside through four arches semicircular that act as corridors. As for the facades, they have three flush heights.
Buildings surrounding the square.
Has suffered various restorationsthe most important of them was in the 70s of the last century, when pavement and they partially made their facades uniform. It has been a Historical Site since 1974.
In Spain There are few examples of this type of spaces, since many of them were renovated, losing the octagonal shape. One of the best examples is found in Archidona (Málaga), with the Plaza de Ochavada.
Ochavada Square, in Archidona.
