Madryckie place w relacjach wybranych polskich podróżników w XIX i na początku XX wieku

Abstract

This article presents the perception of Madrid squares as viewed by Polish travellers in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The squares functioned for centuries as key areas of a city, both for the residents and visitors. In Spain, they were also an important element of culture and urban planning. Plaza Mayor – a unique European city square – was established in that country. Therefore, it may be assumed that the squares, playing a leading role in the analysed urban space, are one of the main tourist destinations. The aim of the article was to analyse the accounts of Polish travellers who came to Madrid in the 19th century and attempt to answer the following questions: what role the squares played during the time of those travels, which square made the greatest impression on the writers and why. The author also wanted to gain a better understanding of the aesthetic sensitivity and architectural and urban awareness of the Polish travellers. The analysis was carried out on the basis of source texts and historical studies. The presented image of public spaces was juxtaposed with iconographic and cartographic sources. The article shows that the Polish travellers staying in Madrid in the 19th and early 20th centuries limited their urban strolls to only a few squares, and the most important ones were approached with critical assessment.