We are in the Plaza del Arenal. We see in the center of this square its fountain and the sculpture of Miguel Primo de Rivera.
The origins of the city go back many centuries ago, specifically to the Muslim era, in which it was founded. When Alfonso X El Sabio reconquered Jerez for the crown of Castile, he found a walled city, with four access gates and a defensive Alcázar-fort.
In the Muslim era, the Plaza del Arenal was a musara or great esplanade, a meeting place for the population on the outskirts of the city.
Alfonso X El Sabio reconquered the city from the Arabs on October 9, 1,264. Although more recent studies place two years later, at 1,266, the date of the reconquest. Thus, on October 9, it was established as a local holiday and dedicated to Saint Dionysus, who is the patron saint of the city.
Throughout history, this square has had different names: Plaza de los Reyes Católicos, Plaza de Fernando VII, Plaza de Isabel II, Plaza de Alfonso XII, Plaza de la Constitución (1812) and Plaza de la República, all these names assigned according to the different epochs.
The word Arenal comes to him because in the 15th century they filled it with sand to celebrate different equestrian games, as well as the occasional battle between knights.There is evidence of the celebration in the aforementioned place of fighting between knights such as the fierce fight that lasted three days between Ruy Páez de Biedma and Payo Rodrigues Dávila, in 1343.
In the center of the square, we see the beautiful fountain, which commemorates the conduction of the waters to Jerez from the Tempul spring, on July 16, 1869. In the center of the fountain, the work of the Valencian sculptor Benlliure, represents the Jerez-born politician and military Miguel Primo de Rivera, who was head of government in Spain.
