Mercado del Este, Santander

The East Market, also popularly known as Plaza del Este, is an old market located in the Cantabrian capital, Santander. It is currently occupied by various shops and catering establishments.

The construction of the new Santander market was promoted in 1839 by the mayor of Santander, José María López-Dóriga, with a design by the municipal architect Antonio Zabaleta. The market was built between 1839 and 1842, opposite the arches of López Dóriga, occupying two of the blocks of the Ensanche, the main area reclaimed from the sea by the town. This market is considered to be one of the first examples of "galleries" built in Spain for commercial use, as it is articulated as a network of streets laid out in the form of covered streets, clearly dividing the space occupied by the different stalls and passageways; in addition, the structure is designed to keep lighting and ventilation standards very advanced for spaces of this type at the time; so the value of this building lies not so much in its aesthetic value, as it is a simple building, but in its advanced design compared to the time in which it was built.

The Eastern Market was so named because it was located in the expansion area that at that time was advancing towards the east of the old town, and because of its position relative to the other major market in the city, the market of Hope, located behind the Town Hall of Santander, in the Plaza de la Esperanza.

The market has a single floor of rectangular geometry, 40 meters wide by 60 meters long, giving an area of 2400 m².

In 1986, the Mercado del Este was declared a site of cultural interest.

In 2000, the City Council carried out a controversial demolition and subsequent reconstruction of the market, preserving few original elements.

Today it houses various businesses related to the service sector. In addition to a tourist information office, there are several cafes, shops of various kinds and the Museum of Prehistory and Archaeology of Cantabria.