9. Central Market
We walk several metres along Manifestación Street until arriving at the Central Market (or Lanuza Market), built in 1903 according to the project of Félix Navarro at the medieval Market Square. At the mid-50s, the opening of César Augusto Avenue gave a strategical situation to this building which obstructed the flow of road traffic. Therefore, its demolition or move was studied. In 1978, the Central Market was considered Historic-Artistic Monument, and therefore, its conservation in the original place forced to redevelop the area. After a contest of ideas, the plan of the architect Juan Martín Trenor named "Hippocastanum" was chosen.
The restoration included its two fundamental and more characteristic elements -the porch and the gate- since there was the old Toledo Gate of the Roman Wall and the old porticoed Market Square, from which some buildings remain. The so-called "Allegory of the Peace Gate" consists of four arches in a row made on brick and white marble, that explain the history of the city of the four cultures. The first, a lintel-shape arch, represents Iberian Salduie. The second, a round arch with the same size of the central arch of the facade of Lanuza Market, recalls Roman Caesaraugusta and the west gate of the wall. The third, also lintel-shaped, recalls the Bád-al-yanúd Gate of Medina Alabaida Saraqusta. Finally, a fourth arch, similar to the previous one, recalls Toledo Gate of Christian Zaragoza. All these arches are placed among the remains of the Roman Wall and the Market, and serve as background for Augustus Statue, which was built to be placed on the Altar of the Homeland at the Pilar Square. The statue is on a podium surrounded by a small pond.
From here, we finally go once again to the Pilar Square, place where our route started.