I was just browsing the live traffic/city webcams of Madrid @ http://www.TraficoMadrid.com and saw what appears to be the plaza of Plaza de España is under heavy construction/renovation. Can anyone confirm this? This is the first I knew about it. Is the Miguel de Cervantes/Don Quij/xote statue, fountain, and reflecting pool also under renovation???

See the live cam image below:


Saludos, MadridMan

Yes, the Plaza is undergoing "reformas." I do not know the extent. I should be in town Monday and if I go by there I'll check it out and report back.

Martín de Madrid: Did'ja make it into town and Plaza de España today? If not, don't worry about it. If so, what does it appear they're doing?? Are they reconfiguring the plaza?

Saludos, MadridMan

Haven't been into town yet, but I know Metro Linea 3, which has a stop on PdE, is undergoing major construction, maybe to allow new, wider train cars, so this might be what is going on. The whole line is shut down indefinitely, along with several others, as I remember. They are doing a major amplification of the "red."

I was just in Madrid a week ago (I miss it already) and what I saw in the plaza was basically just a rerouting of the sidewalk along calle Princesa, right before it joins Gran Vía. I am not sure why this was happening, maybe as Martin says, it could have something to do with the metro line 3 being down (line 2 from Sol to Cuatro Caminos is also under construction). As of last week, there were no obras near the statue of Cervantes and Don Quijote.

Thank, Torero! I was a little curious if they were reconfiguring the entire plaza but am happy to know that it's only the sidewalk near Calle Princesa (a.k.a. Gran Via extension).

Saludos, MadridMan

I can confirm that it is due to the works on the L3. All the line is closed until mid-September to reinforce the tunnels, because this line is going to be under major works in 2005-2007 (7 new stations Southbound, ampliation of all the stations' platforms from 90 meters to 120 in order to hold 6-carriage trains instead of the current 4-carriage ones, and change to a higher power supply required for the future demand)

I went by yesterday, and it seems to be related to the reforms going on in L3 of the Madrid metro. In Plaza España is only the sidewalk and it goes further towards Moncloa for about 600 mts or so. Princesa goes from 2 lines to one line in some points. It´s a mess! Right now since lots of people are on vacations, there is not too much traffic but I do not want to see when everyone gets back! (Hopely things will be almost finish by that time)

What a mess - - - STILL!

And the worst is yet to come!
Keep an eye on Sol and Gran Via in the next months.
Half Puerta del Sol is going to be destroyed to build an underground Cercanias station.
At least, the space in front of El Brillante Atocha is free again, good to you MM!