With its Dalí sculptures, the Movistar Arena (formerly called Wizink) in the background, Julianne Moore ‘s favorite shopping mall on one side and bars for all budgets on the other, it is normal that the Plaza de Felipe II brims with life almost every day of the year. The almost is because of a small problem: it has hardly any trees, a defect that makes it a point to avoid when temperatures rise.
Yes, the square is undergoing a process of transformation.
The Government Area of Works and Equipment has revealed that it is going to develop a project with the aim of remodeling the planters of the square, putting perimeter bars to prevent the use of skateboards on its walls and installing new plantings inside. In areas free of parking, Lombía Street will have two new planters of the same type as the other thirteen existing ones.
In addition to the extension (somewhat scarce) of the landscaped areas, the project contemplates the renovation of the children’s areas, the repair of the pavement and the street lighting. The Area of Works and Equipment has stated that the broken granite pieces of the floor will be replaced by new ones, and that the current lights will be replaced by equipment with energy-efficient LED technology. On the other hand, the ornamental fountain in the square, currently in disuse, will be put back into operation to give even more charm to the surroundings.
The Madrid City Council, which will allocate a budget of 1.5 million euros to the improvement of the square, has declared that the remodeling will be completed in the second half of 2026. The Department of Works and Equipment is working on the improvement of nine other squares: San Cristóbal (San Blas-Canillejas), San Pol de Mar (Moncloa-Aravaca), Milmarcos (Villa de Vallecas), Valle de Oro (Carabanchel), Pajarones (Barajas), Julián Marías, José Luis Hoys, Tizas and Hidrógeno.