It is one of the oldest squares in the city and has been an important part of its history for centuries. The square was originally built in 1471 by King Ferdinand II as a tribute to Saint Ivo, who had served as bishop at nearby Santa Maria del Mar Church during his lifetime. Since then, it has been used for many purposes including religious ceremonies and festivals, military parades, political rallies, concerts and more.
The main feature of Saint Ivo’s Square is its stunning fountain, which dates back to 1550 when it was commissioned by Queen Isabella II. This impressive structure stands tall at over 12 meters high with four tiers that contain sculptures depicting various figures from Greek mythology – such as Poseidon – along with several other decorative elements like dolphins and sea creatures. In addition to this impressive centrepiece, there are also two smaller fountains on either side of the central one, which were added later on in 1790 by King Charles IV.
One unique aspect about Saint Ivo’s Square is that it was once used as a bullfighting ring. During this time period (from 1714-1720) it hosted some very popular events where locals would come out to watch these dangerous contests between man and beast take place right here in Barcelona’s centre square. Fortunately, today these activities have since stopped, but you can still find evidence of them if you look closely enough around the area – such as old stone walls that were once used for seating spectators or even some remains from ancient structures related to bullfighting activities like pens or stables for storing bulls before fights began.
Today, visitors can enjoy walking through Saint Ivo’s Square any day of the week while admiring its beautiful architecture or simply taking a break from sightseeing elsewhere around town.
