Spanish Markets: Look, Smell, Touch, and Buy

By Real Academia de Gastronomía

Real Academia de Gastronomía

The markets that flourished Spain during the early 20th century are now places where local produce, cuisine, and leisure go hand in hand. Full of surprises for the senses, they form part of the tourist experience attracting visitors to cities throughout Spain.

Central Market of Atarazanas (1876/1879)Real Academia de Gastronomía

The Origins of Markets

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Spain was dotted with food markets, most of which were built where the street stalls supplying local residents with farm produce had been set up. The markets put an end to the chaotic pileup of goods in the streets, improving the previously non-existent hygiene conditions—something that was particularly important for livestock breeders and fishermen.

San Miguel Market (1916)Real Academia de Gastronomía

Many of them were real works of art, inspired by great European buildings such as the Les Halles market in Paris. Its architecture of large windows and metal structures can be seen replicated in Madrid's San Miguel market for example, or in the market in Palencia. Later, with the development of concrete, different styles appeared and each individual market across Spain took on its own unique character.

Boquería Market (1840)Real Academia de Gastronomía

A Feast of Colors and Flavors

Stalls selling fruit, meat, and seafood have existed side by side since the early days of markets, providing visitors with a unique environment that immerses all the senses.

Boquería Market (1840)Real Academia de Gastronomía

They have a characteristic smell and a sound so unique that, even with your eyes closed, you would know exactly where you were. The stallholders display their produce to show off its quality, and you can tell which are the best varieties, the freshest fish, and the finest meats just by looking at them.

Boquería Market (1840)Real Academia de Gastronomía

The vibrant fruit adds a splash of color to the frenetic activity of the market stalls, where you can also find cheeses, good quality charcuterie, eggs, loose vegetables, bread, and sweet treats. These are all the ingredients of a traditional market. Nowadays, they also have areas for international produce, organic stalls, and stalls selling just one type of product, keeping up with new demands.

Boquería Market (1840)Real Academia de Gastronomía

The Market as a Place for Cultural and Culinary Exchange

Since the early days of bartering, commercial exchanges have been a key part of social relationships in towns and villages. As a result, markets have always been a meeting place for people from all echelons of society, from homemakers and chefs to tourists and families, creating a flow of cultures and enriching people's experience.

Vegetable stall at Bretxa MarketReal Academia de Gastronomía

One of the biggest advantages of buying from markets is that the customer can ask questions about the produce and the stallholder can share their expertise. This close contact is something that is lost in large stores, and it helps to promote knowledge about fresh, local produce, which is the basis for local sustainability.

Central Market of Valencia (1914/1928)Real Academia de Gastronomía

The Market as Part of the City Landscape

In Spain, markets have become another tourist attraction. This is not just because of the buzz of activity that goes on inside them, but also because of their architectural and artistic character. For example, the Art Nouveau movement left its mark on some of these buildings, including the striking Mercado de Colón and Mercado Central in Valencia, or La Boquería in Barcelona.

Central Market of Atarazanas (1876/1879)Real Academia de Gastronomía

A Neo-Moorish style can also be seen in buildings such as the market in Salamanca, with its horseshoe arch and ceramic tiles. Another example is Malaga's Ataranzas market, which still has a Nazari door dating from the 14th century.

Salamanca supplies market (1922/1925)Real Academia de Gastronomía

Central Market of Zaragoza (1903)Real Academia de Gastronomía

However, it was so-called "cast-iron architecture" that left the greatest mark on the construction of Spanish markets. Influenced by fashions brought from Europe—and Paris in particular—these kinds of buildings are tall with large, metallic support structures that are light and transparent. Madrid's Mercado San Miguel, Zaragoza's Mercado Central, Valladolid's Mercado Del Val, and the market in Palencia, are all examples of this.

Torrijano y Varas fruit shop, Vallehermoso Market (1930)Real Academia de Gastronomía

Decline and Regeneration

With the passing of time and changes in society, patterns of family consumption were transformed. Women's inclusion the workplace, the hectic pace of 21st-century life, increasing numbers of large stores and, more recently, e-commerce are some of the factors that explain why markets lost their place at the heart of city life.

The Abad Brothers, fish and seafood, Vallehermoso Market (1930)Real Academia de Gastronomía

The pace of decline increased and, unfortunately, many were closed. However, in recent years, there has been a resurgence of Spanish markets as culinary, cultural and touristic centers. Local councils are making significant efforts to renovate and reinvent various commercial spaces that had fallen into disuse, and residents are discovering a different kind of interaction.

Event in Cebada's Market in MadridReal Academia de Gastronomía

The regeneration of markets has been a major initiative, and it would not have been possible without the participation of people who put forward creative solutions that go well beyond the basic market stall.

Cookery workshops, courses for children, and pop-up events combining other activities such as music, dancing, and fashion are just a taste of what is on offer in Spanish markets, which have now become places of leisure.

Vallehermoso Market (1930)Real Academia de Gastronomía

However, the biggest change in the revival of markets has come out of the kitchen. Chefs have opened up their doors and visitors can now not only buy food there, but eat it too.

In fact, they often use produce sold at the various stalls, generating a wonderful circle of sustainability.

Di Buono, Vallehermoso Market (1930)Real Academia de Gastronomía

Traditional stallholders now stand side by side with small-scale producers and artisans, all sharing the space with culinary offerings in the form of casual, quick-and-easy street food.

The Vallehermoso and San Antón markets in Madrid are examples of this interesting model.

Central Bar by Ricard CamarenaReal Academia de Gastronomía

Well-known chefs have also opted to make use of these spaces, including Ricard Camarena and his Central Bar in Valencia's Mercado Central, and Rodrigo de la Calle in Madrid's Mercado de San Miguel.

Other chefs are involved in the markets' day-to-day activity, promoting collaborations between producers, chefs, and customers, such as the cooking demonstrations by Creando Cocina in San Sebastian's La Bretxa market.

Boquería Market (1840)Real Academia de Gastronomía

Through this revival, markets have been transformed into culinary and cultural melting pots without losing their essence, ensuring that they live on and carry a traditional model forward for future generations.

Credits: Story

Text: Silvia Artaza.

Image: Vallehermoso Market (Madrid / Tourism Department. Málaga City Hall / San Miguel Market (Madrid) / Boqueria Market (Barcelona) / La Cebada Market (Madrid) / Central Bar (Ricard Camarena) / Foods&Wines from Spain / Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade

Acknowledgements: Rafael Ansón, president of the Spanish Royal Academy of Gastronomy; Elena Rodríguez, director of the Spanish Royal Academy of Gastronomy; María García and Caroline Verhille, contributors to the Spanish Royal Academy of Gastronomy.

Spanish Royal Academy of Gastronomy

This exhibition is part of the Spanish Gastronomy project jointly coordinated by Google Arts & Culture and the Spanish Royal Academy of Gastronomy.

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
Explore more

Interested in Food?

Get updates with your personalized Culture Weekly

You are all set!

Your first Culture Weekly will arrive this week.

Home
Discover
Play
Nearby
Favorites