This is another must for me to tell you , as again found new pictures in my cd rom vault combine with an older stray in other post to share in my blog for and me, This is an emblematic street arch of my dear Madrid, where i am always happy to tell you lived and visit every year for upteen years since 1971, first with my dear late Mom Gladys, and then came back with my dear late Dad Elio, dear late wife Martine and the boys , The restaurant here is an institution and the area is quant beautiful old pretty for endless walks, Therefore, let me tell you about the Arco de Cuchilleros of Madrid !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
The Arco de Cuchilleros or Arch of Cutlers located at on corner of the Plaza Mayor, . Below the staircase there are many typical restaurants. The Arco de Cuchilleros is perhaps the most famous of the ten accesses of the Plaza Mayor ( like Calle 7 de Julio, Arco de Triunfo, and Felipe III to the north; Sal, Zaragoza and Gerona to the east; Botoneras, Toledo and Cuchilleros to the south (the official name of this access is Calle de la Escalerilla de Piedra (ladder of stone); and Ciudad Rodrigo to the west, There is another entry by the left of the Casa de la Carniceria that has no exit to the square, and another arch on the left of the facade smaller that also has no exit to the square. This is my most memorable part of the square.
The Calle de Cuchilleros is located in the neighborhood of Embajadores, district of Centro , which runs,from the Cavas de San Miguel next to the Arco de Cuchilleros arch at the foot of the Plaza Mayor, to the Plaza de Puerta Cerrada , It is part of the pit or closed door cellar that ran at the foot of the wall. It receives the name of the guild of knives in it established since the 17C. Known also as Calle de la Cuchillería for the abundance of stores of knives and cutlery established here for its proximity to the Casa de la Carniceria (Butcher Shop);here today is the Hotel Pestana, Of that cloudy splendor ,gates and buildings of singular antiquity are conserved with archaeological basements and medieval galleries, and the subsequent creation of some taverns, or wineries with the alleged solera such as La Daniela, La Traviesa, Asquiniña, Bodegas Ricla or Las Cuevas de Luis Candelas (see post), Under the stone stairs is the Las Cuevas de Luis Candelas! Lovely side of the Plaza Mayor! among which the Botín Restaurant can be found (considered the oldest restaurant in the world by Guinness , without any interruption on the name).
The Arco de Cuchilleros is one of the ten accesses of the Plaza Mayor (see posts)and was designed in 1617 the Calle de la Escalerilla de Piedra and the Arco de Cuchilleros. However, the Arch as we know it today was the work of Juan de Villanueva, who remodeled the square after the fire of 1790. The number of floors were reduced to two, and he also closed off the square at its four corners and built nine arches that provided entrances to it, With its monumental appearance, the most well-known arch is the Arco de los Cuchilleros whose steep steps lead down to Calle de los Cuchilleros. The peculiar Calle de la Escalerilla de Piedra extends along the interior of the arch and nothing else. Start at the first step and end at the last. That is, it is a street of few meters and completely staggered.
In this Calle de Cuchilleros the novelist Benito Pérez Galdós placed several passages of his contemporary Spanish novels, incorporating it into the map of the Galdosian territory in Madrid. This is how it appears frequently in Fortunata and Jacinta, as in the spooky and humorous night scene starring the character Placido Estupiñá:
The Madrid tourist office on the Plaza Mayor: https://www.esmadrid.com/en/tourist-information/plaza-mayor-madrid
The Comunidad de Madrid tourist office on the Plaza Mayor: https://www.visitmadrid.es/en/places-to-visit-in-madrid/where-to-go/madrid-the-capital-of-spain/plaza-mayor-your-essential-guide
The official Las Cuevas de Luis Candelas of Madrid : https://www.lascuevasdeluiscandelas.com/en/
The RestaurantGuru reviews on Las Cuevas de Luis Candela :https://restaurantguru.com/Las-Cuevas-de-Luis-Candelas-Madrid
There you go folks, this is nostalgic memorable spot again for me as Madrid is full of them, It is a wonderful place do not be misled lots of tourists here but all Spanish, And then a great area for late night walks on the Plaza Mayor ; can’t beat the experience, me think, Again, hope you enjoy the post on the Arco de Cuchilleros of Madrid !!! as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 