SER Historia: "El Martes Mayor" (June 5, 2024)

Host: SER Podcast
Featured Guest: Esther Sánchez, cronista oficial de Plasencia

Overview

This episode explores the rich history and enduring legacy of "El Martes Mayor," Plasencia's famed medieval market. With guest Esther Sánchez, the city’s official chronicler, the podcast dives into the origins, cultural significance, and evolution of this key institution—revealing how a market that began in the 12th century continues to shape the city’s identity and economy.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Architectural Symbol: The Clock and Abuelo Mayorga

• [00:07] The episode opens with the story of the iconic Renaissance town hall of Plasencia, designed by Juan de Álava in the 16th century, featuring its distinctive clock.
• "El reloj... Es el símbolo de la ciudad... cuyo nombre viene del pueblo de Valladolid, Mayorga de Campos, que es donde se hace realmente el reloj." (B, 00:07)
• The clockmaker from Mayorga becomes a local legend—when he dies, the townspeople honor him with a statue, affectionately calling him "Abuelo Mayorga."
  • Notable quote: "Le hacen una estatua, que es la que preside nuestra Plaza Mayor, y le llaman Mayorga en honor a la ciudad de donde venía." (B & C, 01:10)

2. Founding of Plasencia and Medieval Context

• [02:35–05:22] Esther Sánchez explains King Alfonso VIII’s role in founding Plasencia in 1186, emphasizing its strategic location.
  • Defensive advantages: The river as a natural moat, proximity to rival kingdoms (León, Portugal, Taifa kingdoms).
  • Establishing a fortified city consolidated Castilla’s conquests.
  • “Es el sitio ideal porque el río hacía de foso... consolidar esto significaba también dotarla de una sede episcopal.” (A, 03:08)
• The founding created jurisdiction tensions, especially with Ávila over ecclesiastical and economic privileges.

3. The Economic Heart: The Medieval Market

• [05:22–10:13] The market’s foundational role:
  • The market, held on Tuesdays, originally offered tax-free trading—a major draw for regional sellers and buyers.
  • Later regulations by the Count Álvaro de Estúñiga standardized its location and logistics in the Plaza Mayor and surroundings.
  • Nuanced rules affected trade, with merchants resisting attempts to move the cloth market (paños) from the central square to more expensive side streets ("la calle del Rey"), citing both cost and practical reasons (e.g., poor lighting for fabric inspection).
  • Notable quote: “Los placentinos no querían ir allí y se quedaban... en la Plaza Mayor... porque decían que en la calle del Rey, como hace más oscuro... se cometían muchos fraudes porque no se veía bien.” (A, 08:15)
  • Constant tension and negotiation—sometimes almost comical—about regulations, locations, and economic interests.

4. Market as Social and Urban Engine

• [10:13–14:56] The Plaza Mayor was not just a trading hub, but a social and cultural nerve center.
  • Daily markets filled the plaza with diversity—vendors of spices, cloth, jewelry, and local produce, resembling a bustling Moroccan "zoco."
  • Conflict often arose over space, with established shopkeepers clashing with street vendors and re-sellers.
  • “La Plaza Mayor siempre ha dado como follones, porque siempre ha habido un cierto conflicto... incluso cuando el martes... le hacía la competencia a las tiendas...” (A, 12:05)
  • By the late 19th century, urban modernization pushed markets out of the plaza to make it a respectable civic space, but the Tuesday market tradition persisted.

5. The Market as Cultural Exchange and Communication

• [13:06–14:56] The influx of people from neighboring regions made the market a vital node for the exchange of news, ideas, and culture.
  • Host draws a parallel: "El mercado sería como una especie de Facebook en donde la gente opinaba, comentaba..." (C, 13:17)
  • “Ahí es donde se concentraría... toda la gente comentando eso y luego el boca a boca... vendrían los romances de ciego, cantarían, contarían todo eso...” (A, 13:51)
  • The plaza also hosted political expression—songs, protests, and pamphlets during key historic moments.

6. Urban Development and the Modern City

• [14:56–17:10] The economic vibrancy of the market enabled urban expansion, architectural splendor, and the rise of a local bourgeoisie.
  • Controlling the market meant influence—first held by noble families, later by merchant-bourgeois interests in the 19th century.
  • The drive for modernization (water supply, schools, cleanliness) is tied directly to the market’s success and the city’s social changes.
  • “La burguesía... es la que quiere, digamos, una ciudad que cambie... que pongan alcantarillado, que venga ya el agua corriente...” (A, 15:55)
  • The Plaza Mayor is repeatedly described as the city’s "músculo," its vital center.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• "El reloj... Es el símbolo de la ciudad... cuyo nombre viene del pueblo de Valladolid, Mayorga de Campos, que es donde se hace realmente el reloj." — B (00:07)
• "Es el sitio ideal porque el río hacía de foso... consolidar esto significaba también dotarla de una sede episcopal." — Esther Sánchez (03:08)
• "Claro, eso el martes, el tener aquí un martes que no se pagaba derecho... favorece que vinieran los comarcanos aquí y que hubiera una relación comercial y de afluencia de personas." — Esther Sánchez (06:15)
• "La Plaza Mayor siempre ha dado como follones, porque siempre ha habido un cierto conflicto... incluso cuando el martes... le hacía la competencia a las tiendas..." — Esther Sánchez (12:05)
• "El mercado sería como una especie de Facebook en donde la gente opinaba, comentaba lo que había pasado en el pueblo vecino..." — Host (13:17)
• "La burguesía... es la que quiere, digamos, una ciudad que cambie... que pongan alcantarillado, que venga ya el agua corriente." — Esther Sánchez (15:55)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:07–01:26 — Story of the clock, Abuelo Mayorga, and the symbolism of Plasencia's town hall.
• 02:35–05:22 — Interview with Esther Sánchez on Plasencia’s founding and its strategic rationale.
• 05:22–10:13 — Medieval market structure, economic privileges, and historic regulatory struggles.
• 10:44–14:56 — The market as social center; cultural exchanges; early "news network"; enduring urban tensions.
• 14:56–17:10 — Impact of market wealth on urban development, social mobility, and the modernization of Plasencia.

Episode Tone

The episode is informative, lively, and engaging, blending historical facts with entertaining anecdotes. Both host and guest maintain a conversational, accessible style, rapidly moving from foundational events to colorful details of local life and societal quirks, always with energy and warmth.

Summary

"El Martes Mayor" paints a vivid portrait of Plasencia’s history, underscoring how its medieval market blossomed into both the economic and social centerpiece of the city. Through the insightful narration of Esther Sánchez, listeners are treated to tales of strategic conflicts, commercial picaresque, community rituals, and the timeless drama of urban life. The traditions of Plasencia’s market and its Plaza Mayor are revealed as living threads linking centuries of city life—from the days of Alfonso VIII to the present lively Tuesdays.