Most old plazas have emerged as a marketplace, hence the names of squares as the "Grand Place" or "Fish Market". Later on also palace squares, these were not as good place, but to emphasize the grandeur of the palace. What square it is, often they are very impressive. We have made the top 10 of the most famous squares in the world:
Times Square you can find in New York City, at the intersection of Broadway and 7th Avenue. The square is often used in movies, video clips and series, and is also known as the Mecca for tourists. On the square hang more than 50 electronic billboards, mainly at night make for a spectacular view. It is always busy and there is always plenty to see, the square attracts a lot of street performers and other artists. New Year's Eve there will be a big party in the square, where the Times Square Ball along a 23 meter high pole is lowered. This event is viewed directly on television by millions of Americans.
The famous Red Square is the central square of Moscow and is also called the heart of Moscow. On the square stands the Moscow Kremlin, which is the historical center of the city. A real crowd puller and the most famous building in Russia has to be the Saint Basil's Cathedral (or basil), with its unusual and colorful appearance. On the Red Square you will also find the National History Museum, which is dedicated to Russian history. The embalmed body of Lenin, the first Premier of the Soviet Union, is in the Lenin Mausoleum. Lenin's Mausoleum is located on the Red Square and attracts many tourists.
Djemaa el Fna is a central square in Marrakesh, which has to be seen absolutely. It is one of the major tourist attractions in Morocco. During the day, there are stalls selling souvenirs and vegetables on the square. It's a busy square where enough "street" can be found. Snake charmers, people with monkeys, storytellers, magicians and musicians entertain their audience, although they can happen taking something intrusive. Around the square you will find several restaurants, but the best is the evening at one of the numerous stalls in the square to eat itself. At the edge of the square you will find a Souk, a large Arab market, where you can find unique and authentic Moroccan products.
St. Peter's Square in Vatican City is an impressive square, which is surrounded by 284 Doric columns and 88 pillars arranged in rows of four. On the colonnade are 140 statues of saints. On the square, the St. Peter's Basilica, which is the most famous Catholic church in the world. The building is also known for the big names who have taken pictures or other art for. So you can put the Pieta, the famous sculpture of Michelangelo here. At the center of the square stands an Egyptian obelisk, which in 38 AD with a special ship sailed from Heliopolis in Egypt to Rome. Both left and right of the obelisk is a round stone. If you stand on the stone, you can see instead of four rows of pillars only one row.
Tiananmen Square, also known as the Tiananmen Square, the largest square in the world. The square is located in Beijing (Peking), the capital of China and is an area of over 40 hectares 22 times as large as the Dam in Amsterdam. On the square stands the Gate of Heavenly Peace (Tiananmen) where great leaders like Mao gave their speeches. In the middle of the square stands the mausoleum where Mao is laid out. The army opened fire unarmed civilians and students, resulting in hundreds of deaths.
Trafalgar Square is one of the most famous squares in London. The square is named after Horatio Nelson's victory at the French fleet of Napoleon at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. In the middle of the square stands a column of more than 50 meters high, topped by a statue of Nelson. The column is called Nelson's Column and is a tribute to Horatio Nelson. At the foot of the pedestal are four bronze lions, which were created by the English artist Sir Edwin Henry Landseer. At the square you can find also the church St Martin-in-the-Fields, a church for Chinese Brits where services are held in the Standard Mandarin and Cantonese. The National Gallery, a museum of painting, is on the square.
In the center of Siena is the shell-shaped Piazza del Campo. The square is called the heart of the city of Siena, is one of Europe's greatest medieval squares. The square is divided nine segments, which symbolize the 'Council of Nine, "which ruled the city in medieval times. At the lowest part of the square is the Palazzo Pubblico, a town hall and museum. Opposite the Palazzo Pubblico is the Fonte Gaia, which means fountain of joy. The square is also known by Palio delle contrade, a horse race that is held on the square twice a year.
Plaza de Mayo, which means Meiplein is a square in Buenos Aires. The square owes its name to the revolution of May 25, 1810, which ensured that Argentina became independent. Since that day the Playa de Mayo is the political heart of Buenos Aires. It is the place where Eva Peron (Evita) has spoken and where the Mothers protest regularly against the disappearance of thousands of people.
The Old Town Square located in the Czech capital Prague. The square is located between the Wencleslaplein and Charles Bridge, and is especially crowded in summer by locals and tourists. In the square you will find next to the world famous astronomical clock in Prague, including the Old Town Hall and the statue of Professor John Huss. On the square you will find churches built in completely different styles. So you have the gothic Tyn Church and baroque St. Nicholaaskerk.
Plaza de la Constitución, which means Constitution Square, located in the heart of the historic center of Mexico City and is one of the largest squares in the world. On the square stands the Mexico City Cathedral, the largest cathedral in the Western Hemisphere is. The National Palace and the town hall can be found at the square. At the square are the ruins of the Templo Mayor, the main temple pyramid of the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan (now Mexico City). At the center of the square stands a flagpole with it an enormous Mexican flag, which is hoisted every day.
1. Times Square, New York, United States
2. Red Square, Moscow, Russia
3. Djemaa el Fna, Marrakech, Morocco
4. Saint Peter’s Square, Vatican City
5. Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China
6. Trafalgar Square, London, England
7. Piazza del Campo, Siena, Italy
8. Plaza de Mayo, Buenos Aires, Argentina
9. Old Town Square, Prague, Czech Republic
10. Zócalo (Plaza de la Constitución), Mexico City, Mexico
By: Mahmoud Alomda
