Plaça Redona, Valencia

Plaça Redona is a round public square enclosed by buildings, so its interior appears only after you enter. Salvador Escrig designed it in 1840, giving the space four entrances aligned with the cardinal directions. The surrounding houses create an unbroken yellow wall and rise as an elongated cylinder four storeys high.

At the heart of the plaza, a tall fountain stands beneath a lamp; wooden stalls form a ring beyond it, with small shops set into the lower parts of the surrounding buildings. These circles make the square feel carefully layered, from its open interior to its commercial edge. Its compact scale leaves no room for motor traffic, and the place is among Valencia’s smallest squares.

The main approach comes from Carrer de Sant Vicent, while narrow streets provide the other entries. Look at the continuous building wall around you: the enclosed form is the surprise of Plaça Redona.