Plaza de Santo Domingo

Plaza Santa Domingo is located right in Murcia city centre, just between Tontódromo steet and Trapería street which leads to towards the Cathedral of Murcia.

This square is famous for its various leisure establishments, as well as many benches for citizens to enjoy the weather, sights, pigeons, etc. It is a pedestrianised square, so it serves as a meeting place for both the young and old. For this reason, many of the parades that happen in Murcia, like the Easter processions, Christmas parades, etc., pass through Santo Domingo, and as it is a very large area, it is one of the city's safer places.

The most important buildings are the following:

Santo Domingo Church

Is an ancient monastery complex, along with the Chapel of the Rosary which I speak more about below. It has its main facade in Plaza del Romea, but the most colorful facade overlooks Plaza de Santo Domingo. The facade facing Santo Domingo does not have an entrance door, it is in the baroque style and made entirely of brick, whilst the main facade has no similarities architecturally with the other side, as it is built in the Renaissance style and is very restrained, with its low hight making the two sides seem like two completely different buildings. The two towers stand out, separated by a central part, with many windows and balconies. It doesn't look like a church, which is why I like it so much; it's different. The only bad thing is that it has many pigeons on its cornices which make the facade dirty. I was inside the church for the communion of a cousin a few years ago, and surprisingly the interior is very beautiful and luminous, which emphasizes the white color of the walls and the gold of the altar.

The Chapel of the Rosary

It is located right next to the Church of Santo Domingo, between the Church and the arch of Plaza de Santo Domingo that connects Santo Domingo with the Plaza de Julián Romea, and the other side to the Chapel with Almodovar Palace. The Chapel of the Rosary itself has its entrance door in Santo Domingo; it has a very sober façade, of burgundy in colour and with few details.

Colegio Cierva Peñafiel

Is a Primary School, and is the first building you will notice when entering the Plaza from Tontódromo on the right hand side. Among young people, it's famous for its steps where you can sit with friends. It does not look like a school, but it is, and if you pass through the square during school hours, in a small alley that faces the square, you can see the children playing.

Cerdá House

One of my favourite buildings in Murcia. It's very pretty, and white in colour, and what stands out the most is the tower in the corne, which is open in the form of a balcony. It is intended for housing.

Santander Bank Building

It's very large, elegant and classical in style.

Plaza de Santo Domingo is a vast square, with trees, a fountain with drinking water in the middle, and businesses, mainly restaurants.

The establishments which are the most popular or the most interesting include

Burger King

It's the only one in the city centre, so it's usually full.

Smöoy and Llaollao

Two of the frozen yogurt places which allow you to personalise your order with toppings or fruit. These two chains are next to one another, and they both have outside seating on the square, but you have to order inside, the waiters don't come to take your order from you. Since their opening only a few years ago, these ice cream parlours have become the most successful among both the young and old, and this is the same in winter too, more than you could imagine, except on exceptionally cold or rainy days.

Sirvent Ice Cream Parlour

One of the most famous ice cream places in Murcia and Alicante. The products are good, but in my opinion it's too expensive, especially if you sit outside or inside. I'd recommend the chocolate crêpes, although the quality is not always the same, and sometimes they are hard.

Mien

Is a clothing, accessories and jewellery shop which has been very successful. Here you can find very fashionable clothing and they are about to open another shop in Plaza del Romea thanks to how it has gone down here. It's a pricey place, but it never hurts to just look around.

Quiosco

Sells newspapers, Murcia postcards and some snacks for kids.

San Lorenzo Florist

Just next to Quiosco. For as long as I can remember this has always been in the square.

Oh, and I recommend the mobile waffle and churros van which is located just at the square's entrance on the right side if you're approaching from Tontódromo. There are several all over the city, mainly at Christmas or during weekends in winter, but this one's the best.

Moreover, in the center of the square, right next to the drinking fountain, there is a sculpture, of which a replica can be found in Strasbourg, which is where I did my Erasmus, and its location, is the Council of Europe no less. As a Murcian, I am proud that one of the main sculptures at the European Council is made by a sculptor from Murcia, Mariano González Beltrán. The sculpture represents the defense of human rights, through several carved people who hold hands, forming a sort of circle. Among the people, there is a pregnant woman, a girl, an elderly couple, to name a few, which seeks to tell us that we can all live in harmony and that there is no distinction between humans, we all fit into society, regardless of age, sex or race. (I have attached photos of the two sculptures, the first is the one in Strasbourg).

The other - less important - sculpture in the square, is the bust of the engineer Ricard Codorniú, known as the 'Apóstol del Árbol ('Tree Apostle').

There are any trees in the square, but the one which stands out is a Ficus tree, which is several metres high.

At Christmas it's quite heavily decorated (If I'm talking about Murcia's Christmas decorations). In one of the most attractive corners, for several years, a kind of bright, large Bethlehem scene is displayed, which people usually take photos of because it's very beautiful. There is also one of the royal mailboxes to send the letter to the Three Kings. At New Year's Eve they put up a stage where music groups perform. And between the Church and the College in the square, there is a very small street in which they put up a kind of Christmas exposition, aimed mainly at the little ones; it's nothing to write home about, but it's free and the kids love it.

Throughout the year, aside from the most important events such as Christmas or Semana Santa (Easter week), all kinds of events take place due to the sheer number of people, such as outlets, flea markets, mini exhibitions, catwalk shows, etc. You never know what you may find; )