This square turns an episode of resistance into the city’s symbolic centre. Its statue commemorates María Pita and the people who defended A Coruña during the English attack of 1589. The individual heroine should not obscure the collective defence or the prominent role played by other women. The square itself is considerably younger: it was planned in the nineteenth century as the city reorganised connections between its old core and commercial neighbourhoods. The Municipal Palace occupies its northern side; Pedro Mariño began the building in 1908. Compare this imposing civic frontage with the arcades and glazed galleries around the square. Two histories meet here: remembrance of a siege and the later creation of a modern urban centre.
Sources checked on 17 October 2026. Opening and access may change. The walk does not include admission; allow extra time for interiors. Routes have not been audited for accessibility.
Plan this visit
Look for Galicia’s representation
Tourism information identifies figures on the town hall façade representing Galicia’s four provinces. Locate them and then compare that institutional frontage with the remaining façades. The square can be read as political representation as well as a setting for María Pita’s memory.
A distributor for your walk
Choose here between continuing into the Old Town and approaching the waterfront. Before adding a town hall interior, confirm cultural visiting: descriptions of rooms and collections do not guarantee free access to every department. During a break under the arcades, leave entrances and circulation clear. Walk part of the perimeter to change perspective rather than treating a central photograph as the only way to experience the square.
