At Plaza del Dos de Mayo, the open space recalls a very different scene: the Monteleón artillery headquarters and the uprising of 2 May 1808. Malasaña’s name commemorates Manuela Malasaña, whose memory links this lively district to Madrid’s resistance and later cultural change.
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Plaza del Dos de Mayo is a neighborhood square with a history larger than its cafés and everyday bustle. The city identifies it with the former Monteleón artillery headquarters, where fighting took place during the uprising of 2 May 1808 against French occupation.
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UpgradeQuick facts
- Plaza del Dos de Mayo occupies the area of the former Monteleón artillery headquarters.
- The district’s name honors Manuela Malasaña.
- Malasaña became associated with the Movida Madrileña cultural movement of the 1980s.
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