This square has been through times the meeting point for traders and sellers and the place where markets and fairs have been hold. On the ground floor of the buildings there have always been shops that have given the square a lively atmosphere.

Fair Area

The old and famous Tarragona fair was hold in El Corral, and it was considered one of the most important ones in Catalonia; it took place every year on the 3rd Sunday after Easter Sunday.
We already find references to the fair in 1247 and according to the historian Morera, the whole area of El Corral not built, was during the 13th and 14th century used as fairground.

Slaves of different races and conditions were sold in the fair and the sale was on hands of traders from Perpinyà, Barcelona and Reus. The captives on sale where mainly Saracens, Tartars, Russians, ...Some were Old Christians, some baptised long ago, some neophyte and the rest probably kept their parents believes. The slaves were aged between seven and forty

From the 14th century several notes related to the fair appear in the Council Acts and in the accounts books such as orders to clean from stones El Corral , to hire minstrels to entertain visitors and guards to look after the wooden stalls.

The Square as a Market

The market in the square began in the 18th century. Towards 1901, a market day was a fiesta, with the square full of carts with fruits and vegetables, with peasants from Tarragona and surroundings who came twice a week to offer their products to the inhabitants who would bargain the prices as they were not fixed. At that time the square was called Constitution Square.

The market went on like that until 1905 when the market in Corsini Square was built

Street market at the end of the 19^th century.

Daily market at the beginning of the 20th century.

Fruit and vegetables market, 1901.

Fruit and vegetables market. On the right the poulterers booths,
and on the left the butcher’s.

Book Day Celebration during the Second Republic Period. Stand of the bookseller Joan Antoni Guardias.

Book stand in 1932

Open-air pictures exhibition in 2002

Plaça de la Font at present

Nowadays Plaça de la Font is considered one of the centres of the city, a place where past and present get together with its buildings, unseen ruins , and its pleasant atmosphere specially in summer evenings and nights.The simple shops of the past have been substituted by modern shops, bars and restaurants.

List of shops in the square:

The square yesterday, in the 50’s

The square today , 21st century.