Peñafiel is by no means famous for its square, but rather for its wines and the massive medieval castle that dominates this settlement. Plaza del Coso is nonetheless very interesting from a historical and urbanistic perspective. It is a very large square – 3500 square meters in size– unpaved, and surrounded by 48 houses, all with suspended wooden balconies. Those still standing today date from the 18th and 19th centuries, but the square essentially looked the same in the Middle Ages. In summer, during the celebration of San Roque, bullfighting is organised here. On Easter Sunday, the Descent of the Angel ceremony is held here. The buildings are privately owned, but the balconies have always been considered public property, and are used on such occasions for watching the spectacles and rituals in the square. Plaza del Coso was originally intended as an entertainment arena, which was very interesting for the Middle Ages. Neither the City Hall nor the cathedral are located here. However, chronologically speaking, it is considered one of the first major squares in Spain.
