By Brian Johnston
The pleasures of good piazzas are fine architecture, urban buzz, the provision of a place where you want to linger. Squares open up a city into sunlight and space, and invite meetings and markets. They're places to chat, snap photos, sit on a bench and be happy. Yet although almost every city has its squares, not all work well. Some become mere transit places, others are cold and uninviting, creating dead spaces instead of life.
The best squares are places to remember. In Jackson Square in New Orleans, you can sit in sunshine and munch sugar doughnuts, accompanied by cream-loaded chicory coffee. In Plaza de Armas in Cuzco in Peru, you can buy pompom hats from Quechua women in bright shawls and brown homburgs, accompanied by alpacas bedecked in pink ribbons. Places des Vosges is so beautiful you could make a point of visiting every time you're in Paris, either to lounge with students on the grass, or nibble macaroons in an arcade cafe.
For some cities, main squares are a showcase of architecture. Grand Place in Brussels bags a World Heritage listing for its stunning 600-year ensemble of architecture. For others, they're public living rooms. Locals descend on Plaza de la Constitucion in Oaxaca in southern Mexico for their evening stroll, to watch their kids play, to chew ears of corn and have their shoes polished. Sequin-encrusted musicians shake their maracas and twang guitars as cafe diners eat.
The Red Square, Moscow: Kremlin wall (at left) and Saint Basil's Cathedral (at right). RussiaCredit: Max Ryazanov
Such liveliness isn't confined to Latin cultures, though. In Krakow in Poland, Rynek Glowny – one of Europe's largest squares – is lively with flower sellers, street performers, cafe-goers and public events. This is what a good square should be: a hub of urban life, where locals arrange to meet, drink and shop.
Locals and visitors alike gravitate towards good squares like salmon to their spawning grounds. For the best of plazas and piazzas, here are some cities that have captured their spirit of place in iconic urban squares.
IMAM SQUARE, ESFAHAN, IRAN
Meidan Emam (Imam Square) in Esfahan, Iran.Credit: Getty Images
THE LOWDOWN Shah Abbas the Great knocked up his new capital in the 17th-century, this was his greatest creation. Once the heart of the Safavid empire, it remains the bustling epicentre of Esfahan, surrounded by its most glamorous buildings and venerable bazaar. Climb to the top of Ali Qapu Palace for a terrific view over the dazzling architectural ensemble.
WHEN TO VISIT Evening, when locals come here to stroll, gossip, lick ziggurats of ice cream, admire the dancing fountains and clip-clop about in horse-drawn carriages.
DON'T MISS Elegant Imam Mosque, covered in sumptuous pale blue and yellow tiles, is one of Islam's architectural masterpieces, but Sheikh Lotfallah Mosque is more intimate and tranquil, and glows deep blue.
MORE INFORMATION www.iraniantourism.com
PLAZA DE ORIENTE, MADRID, SPAIN
THE LOWDOWN Pretty girls parade under the equestrian statue of a baton-waving monarch, petunias pop from flowerbeds in pink and purple, and the royal palace looms. This is one of Madrid's most beautiful plazas, bang in the centre of its grandest district. Linger on a bench in the landscaped gardens at its centre and admire the statues that lurk in the shrubbery.
WHEN TO VISIT Madrid's sociable wandering and cafe-hopping reaches a chirpy crescendo around midnight, especially in summer, when the heat dissolves and drinks clink with ice cubes.
DON'T MISS The royal palace (www.patrimonionacional.es) is a monument to Bourbon baroque and rococo, loaded with looted gold from the Americas. Adjacent Almudena Cathedral (www.catedraldelaalmudena.es) is an unconvincing hybrid of 19th-century styles.
MORE INFORMATION www.esmadrid.com
TAMAN FATAHILLAH, JAKARTA, INDONESIA
THE LOWDOWN This square is surrounded by the city's best-preserved historic monuments and several museums. Cobbled footpaths and whitewashed, gabled buildings evoke old Amsterdam. A fountain dances, birds chirp in cages, old buildings peel and locals sit astride an old cannon, considered a fertility symbol. Buskers always amuse.
WHEN TO VISIT Afternoon, when you can escape the humidity and flop gratefully in the colonial Cafe Batavia (www.cafebatavia.com), with its potted palms, black-and-white photos and scratchy gramophone-style music.
DON'T MISS The former Dutch governor-general's palace stands with green shutters folded back, and is full of heavy Dutch furniture and the rather dour portraits of former inhabitants. The Museum of Fine Arts has good ceramics and handicrafts.
MORE INFORMATION www.jakarta-tourism.go.id
ROCKEFELLER CENTRE, NEW YORK, USA
THE LOWDOWN The Rockefeller Centre, a collection of 19 buildings that encapsulates the verve and vigour of 1930s New York, is one of the pulsating hearts of the city that never sleeps, especially for visitors. It features great shops and eateries, its central space has superb Art Deco design, and 200 flagpoles add a festive jauntiness.
WHEN TO VISIT Winter, when the sunken square transforms into an ice rink overlooked by trumpet-blowing golden angels and Christmas trees; take a spin and feel as if you're in a Hollywood movie.
DON'T MISS See a performance at Radio City Music Hall (www.radiocity.com), which has a spectacular Christmas show, and ascend Top of the Rock for fabulous Manhattan views.
MORE INFORMATION www.rockefellercenter.com
JEMAA EL FNA, MARRAKESH, MOROCCO
THE LOWDOWN Marrakesh's entire old town is the place to plunder markets, sip on mint tea and snack on sizzling shawarma but, as dusk falls, all the activity centres on this fabulous square, creating a stickybeaker's delight as you sip fresh-pressed orange juice and munch nuts from the stalls.
WHEN TO VISIT In the evening, as fortune-tellers unfold their cards, African drummers whip up their rhythms and monkeys juggle. Locals and tourists alike wander about and tuck into street food.
DON'T MISS The square has no notable buildings – it's humanity that provides the spectacle – although the 11th-century Koutoubia Mosque with its 70-metre minaret is just down the road. A warren of shop-packed streets lies tangled all about.
MORE INFORMATION www.marrakech.travel
PLAZA DE MAYO, BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
THE LOWDOWN Created by the Spanish in 1580, history-packed Plaza de Mayo retains the city's few colonial buildings and is overlooked by the pink presidential palace, from whose balcony Eva Peron (aka Evita) gave speeches. Old men sit on benches smoking cigarillos, boys splash in the fountains, and activists frequently gather to chant and blow protest whistles.
WHEN TO VISIT Mid-afternoon on Thursdays, mothers whose children disappeared under the dictatorship stand vigil under the palm trees, adding a sombre note to the cheerful square.
DON'T MISS The Cabildo (www.cabildonacional.cultura.gob.ar) provides a colonial museum whose windows have fine plaza views. The Metropolitan Cathedral (www.catedralbuenosaires.org.ar) houses the tomb of independence leader General Jose de San MartÃn.
MORE INFORMATION www.turismo.buenosaires.gob.ar
MARIENPLATZ, MUNICH, GERMANY
THE LOWDOWN Squares aren't often places for winter lingering, but Marienplatz, little more than a busy thoroughfare, comes into its own in December, when its wonderful Christmas market, running since the 1640s, makes this the most magical square in the land. Christmas trees glitter, little chalets sell gingerbread and hot chestnuts, and bonhomie blossoms.
WHEN TO VISIT The market runs daily from 10am to 9pm (8pm Sundays) between late November and Christmas Eve, and is atmospheric after dark, when lights twinkle.
DON'T MISS The highly ornamental, neo-Gothic New Town Hall features a tower-top observation deck and glockenspiel on its facade where figures twirl at 11am and noon. In December, bands tootle and choirs warble from its balcony.
MORE INFORMATION www.muenchen.de
FIVE CLASSIC SQUARES AROUND THE WORLD
RED SQUARE, MOSCOW, RUSSIA
If you grew up during the Cold War, few squares are more iconic, even if rock concerts have now replaced Soviet parades. The Kremlin looms, candy-striped cathedral domes pop and Lenin lies in his tomb; other Soviet luminaries are slotted into the wall behind. This is the historic heart of Russia, vast, daunting and beautiful. Evening illuminations and thinner crowds make nights a wonderful time to stroll under the Kremlin's red walls; winter snow provides Dr Zhivago romance. See www.visitrussia.org.uk
ST MARK'S SQUARE, VENICE, ITALY
Piazza San Marco has always been at the political and religious heart of Venice. Since Florian's cafe opened in 1770, it has been its social epicentre too; surrounding arcades are filled with cafes and the square buzzes with tourists. Just before sunset, cafe orchestras tootle, pigeons fly against facades brushed with pink sun, and long shadows add depth. Magnificent. February's Carnivale is best time to visit, when revellers in harlequin and countess costumes promenade, bringing the dramatic decadence of old Venice alive. See www.turismovenezia.it
TIANANMEN SQUARE, BEIJING, CHINA
Tiananmen is an expression of political power, designed to overawe. The vast empty space is devoid of trees, benches or cafes but fits 300,000 people, with the mausoleum of Mao Zedong rising at its centre. The ugly proletarian buildings that surround it make the flower-flanked, red Gate of Heavenly Peace all the prettier. Struggle up at sunrise to see the daily flag-raising ceremony, when ceremonial soldiers run a gigantic Chinese flag up a massive flagpole. See www.visitbeijing.com.cn
OLD TOWN SQUARE, PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
Twisted Gothic spires and pastel-coloured baroque buildings make this one of Europe's most beautiful squares, around which circulates a stampede of hustlers, buskers, political activists and bewigged hawkers of Mozart-concert tickets. A huge art nouveau statue of religious reformer Jan Hus, burnt in 1415, stands at its centre. The best time to visit is on the hour to see the astronomical clock on the town hall, the oldest in operation (1410), spring into action as figures of vanity and lust nod, and a skeleton rings a bell. See www.prague.eu
TRAFALGAR SQUARE, LONDON, ENGLAND
This isn't just the official centre of London (signpost distances are measured from a spot by the Charles I equestrian statue) but surely its beating heart, scene of many a celebration, protest and New Year's fountain ducking. Naval hero Nelson gazes from his column, the Houses of Parliament are clearly visible, and The Mall unfolds towards Buckingham Palace: you could hardly get more British. At practically any time Trafalgar Square will be buzzing, but free lunchtime concerts are often held at the dainty, overlooked Church of St Martin-in-the-Fields (stmartin-in-the-fields.org). See www.visitlondon.com
FIVE GREAT MARKET SQUARES
GREENMARKET SQUARE, CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
Every day but Sunday, this modest square with its peeling Georgian- and Victorian-era buildings is packed with colourful stalls selling vintage clothes, CDs and trinkets from all over Africa, including wood carvings, chunky jewellery and bronze lions. Buskers in tribal costumes entertain the crowds. See www.capetown.travel
DAMPLEIN, EDAM, NETHERLANDS
This pretty town just outside Amsterdam is famous for cheese, sold in huge rounds every Wednesday on the cobblestones of its old square, then carted off on wooden trays on the shoulders of white-costumed, straw-hatted men. A 16th-century house on the square houses a small museum. See www.kaasmarktedam.nl
UNION SQUARE, NEW YORK, USA
On Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, farmers and fishermen come into the heart of New York for one of the world's best fresh-food markets. Put together your own picnic from its assortment of boutique cheese, breads, pickles and ciders. Chefs give cooking demonstrations, adding to the tempting aromas. See www.nycgo.com
MUNSTERPLATZ, BASEL, SWITZERLAND
The Christmas market under the shadow of Basel's pinkish cathedral isn't Switzerland's largest, but gets kudos for atmosphere and cosiness. It's laid out like a gingerbread village with little streets; tree branches overhead are strung with snowflake-shaped lights. Tuck into meted cheese on potato, or salmon grilled over charcoal. See www.basel.com
NASCHMARKT, VIENNA, AUSTRIA
This market has been around since the 15th century and is still one of the most popular shopping spots in Vienna. Check out specialty shops offering olive oils, vinegars, pickles and cheeses. Food stands and sit-down restaurants allow for lingering in what might be described as a designer district for the tastebuds. See www.wien.info
FIVE LESSER-KNOWN EUROPEAN SQUARES
PIATA VICTORIEI, TIMISOARA, ROMANIA
This progressive northern Romanian town has fine art nouveau architecture thanks to an early 20th-century economic boom, with many superb examples around this square, with its stripy cathedral and apartment blocks adorned with gorgeous plasterwork and folk-art figures. Lively cafes spill among the flowerbeds. Elsewhere, you'd be overcharged to linger over a meal in such a lovely spot; in Romania, expect a bargain. See www.timisoara-info.ro
PRESERNOV SQUARE, LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA
The flamboyant statue of a notable poet in this square, or the steps of its Franciscan church, are the preferred place for locals to meet before they head out on the town. Sit and watch a youthful student population pass too and fro as you slurp ice cream or down good Slovenian beer. Bourgeois mansions in pastel shades loom alongside beautiful art deco buildings, and the city's river gurgles along the south side. See www.visitljubljana.com
ST STEPHEN'S SQUARE, HVAR, CROATIA
The main town of this lovely olive- and lavender-draped island has become the trendy St Tropez of Croatia, and all the jet-setters, yachties and beautiful people congregate in its lovely, elongated central Renaissance piazza over spritzers or Campari, then nibble on tomato-stuffed swordfish as the sun sinks. Beautiful architecture ranges from the 13th to 19th centuries; the cathedral bursts with baroque altars. See www.tzhvar.hr
HERZOG-FRIEDRICH-STRASSE, INNSBRUCK, AUSTRIA
Hard to know if this is a square or just a happy intersection of two streets, but it's certainly a loiter-worthy spot, surrounding by medieval buildings and the Golden Roof, from under which Hapsburg emperors once watched tournaments. Red-cheeked alpine hikers, university students and tourists linger at the cafes under jaunty yellow parasols, and restaurants serve up hearty Austrian fare. See www.innsbruck.info
STORTORGET, STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN
Keep wandering the cobbled alleys of Stockholm's old town and eventually you debouche into the Great Square, overlooked by the tall, 15th-century house of wealthy merchants, painted in cheerful pastels and (in summer) bedecked with geraniums. On one side is the venerable Swedish Academy, distributor of Nobel prizes. Just the spot for a coffee and semlor cream bun stuffed with almond paste. See www.visitstockholm.com
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Brian Johnston has lived in Switzerland, the UK and China, and now calls Sydney home. He has long been a fan of loitering in city squares: "that pleasure first developed in Europe, which has the world's most linger-worthy squares, but I've since discovered plenty more in unexpected places," he says. "I can usually be found in them sitting at a cafe table with a view."
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