Plaza Puerto del Sol, Castellon de La Plana

This is where I started exploring the city, as this is where the Hotel Real Castellón is located, where I stayed. The name of the square translates as Sunny Gate. In the Middle Ages, Castellon was a fortress, and there really was a gate. The square got its name because it was a large open space and the sun shone on it most of the day, unlike the narrow streets. During the Franco dictatorship, the square was named Plaza del Caudillo (Square of the leader). Now the square is surrounded by modern houses, where banks and offices are located, this is the business center of Castellon.

There are several buildings in the Art Nouveau style, among them the former casino stands out (on the right).

The square is decorated with a clock building built for the Banco de Castellón, now home to the Banco de Valencia. Above the clock stands a tower with bells, they used to beat the time, and now on the eve of the New Year they delight residents and guests of the city with Christmas melodies.

In front of the Santander Bank building there is a fountain sculpture "Water Girl" (Aguadora) by Juan B. Adsuara, opened in 2002. Later, walking around the city, I met many more such cute statues, which are incredibly saturated with the streets and squares of Castellon. The Tourist Office offers several walking routes dedicated exclusively to urban sculpture.