Mercado de la Esperanza, Covered market in central Santander, Spain.
The stone facade building combines iron and glass elements, featuring a central skylight that illuminates 166 food stalls across two floors.
Architects Eduardo Reynals and Juan Moya Idigoras designed this cast-iron structure in 1897, which opened its doors on April 10, 1904.
The ground floor specializes in fresh seafood sales, while the upper level houses vendors offering meat products, dairy items, fruits and vegetables.
The market operates Monday through Saturday from 8:00 to 14:00, with additional evening hours on Thursdays and Fridays from 17:00 to 19:30.
The structure measures 71 by 25 meters and stands on the former grounds of a Franciscan monastery that was dissolved in 1837.
Location: Santander
Inception: 1904
Architects: Eduardo Reynals, Juan Moya Idígoras
Official opening: April 10, 1904
Architectural style: cast-iron architecture
Accessibility: Wheelchair inaccessible
Address: Mercado de la Esperanza,21, 39002 Santander, Cantabria, Spain 39002 Santander
Opening Hours: Monday-Saturday 08:00-14:00; Thursday,Friday 17:00-19:30
GPS coordinates: 43.46278,-3.80998
Latest update: October 27, 2025 18:56
Cantabria includes port towns, natural beaches, mountains, and prehistoric caves. The region features Santander with its urban beaches, medieval villages like Santillana del Mar, the Altamira Caves with Paleolithic paintings, and the Picos de Europa National Park. The coastline alternates between cliffs and sandy beaches, while inland there are green valleys and traditional villages.
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