Plaza de Lavapiés

Plaza de Lavapiés is in the center of Madrid. Literally meaning "wash feet," and the Jewish ritual of washing feet before entering the temple seems to have been the inspiration behind its name. The original Lavapiés was the Jewish area of the city, and the current church of San Lorenzo held the Jewish Synagogue. In the late 1980s and 1990s, this neighborhood earned the name of a slum because of the low rents paid by the residents. However, at present, the plaza has a rich cultural influence from the Chinese and Muslim immigrants who reside here. Festivals like Chinese New Year and Ramadan are celebrated with great fervor.