in 1808, the citizens of madrid rose up against the french who occupied their city. it sparked the spanish war of independence. the above photo was taken at the plaza de dos de mayo in malesaña, the neighborhood in madrid where we stayed and explored in depth.
wikipedia says :
The 2nd May was chosen as a public holiday in the region of Madrid. The place where the artillery barracks of Monteleón was located is now a square called the Plaza 2 de mayo, and the district surrounding the square is known as Malasaña in memory of one of the heroines of the revolt, the teenager Manuela Malasaña, who was executed by French troops in the aftermath of the revolt.
Several memorials to the heroes are located over the city, including the Monumento a los Caidos por España.
more photos in and around malesaña on this national holiday of independence, and (go figure) one of the largest parties in madrid.