Central Market of Zaragoza
This much reformed Modernist building will be of interest to fans of contemporary architecture too.
The Central Market building in Zaragoza was built around the turn of the 20th century and completed in 1903 to replace the informal market that had been held there for centuries.
The market was built in the Modernist style by architect Félix Nabbaro, who is known to have been much influenced by the architecture being built in Paris. Thus the building contained a great deal of iron and glass and had a frontage reminiscent of the Parisian style of the time.
In the style of Modernism of that era the building’s stone and ironwork were decorated with motifs of both plants and real animals along with certain mythological creatures. Many of the animals and plants reflected the produce on sale in the market.
The products of the market are also reflected in enamelled plates that decorate a frieze high up in the interior. They were originally used as a guide to locate the various stalls with, for example, fruit and game sellers located under images of fruit or rabbits respectively. A now famous artist, Elías García Martínez, was responsible for these images (better known for what happened to his fresco Ecce Homo). Many are now hidden from view but can be seen well in some areas, particularly the catering area.
This building was declared, by the Spanish government, to be a Historic Artistic Monument in 1978 and an Asset of Cultural Interest in 1982 but it had been scheduled for removal by the local authority, in 1970 to help traffic flow. This proposal was overcome by citizen and trader protests, remarkable in that the country was still well entrenched in a repressive system of government which did not respond well to protest.
The contemporary architectural interest comes from the renovation of the building in 2021 on which the side walls were replaced with enormous glass sheets to enable the city outside to become an integral part of the market. The Modernist structure remains but what we have now is a magnificent space. Internal reforms included a fine catering area that now attracts many to the market.
Know Before You Go
Opens 9.30 to 2.30 and 5.50 to 7.30 weekdays and 9.30 to 2.30 Saturdays. Closed Sundays.
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