8. PLAZA DE LA CONSTITUCION (ZOCALO), OAXACA CITY, MEXICOStrolling down the pedestrian walkway Macedonio Alcala, one arrives at the daily fiesta that is the zocalo. Sitting on benches, parents enjoy the soothing sounds from the fountains as they watch their children play. Vendors circumambulating the zocalo sell corn, chapulines and fruit to customers at the shoe shine stands scattered throughout the plaza. Friends gather on the benches to discuss events they read about in newspapers bought by the nearby newsstands. Every night, musicians serenade customers eating at the cafes. Although a poorly executed renovation undertaken in mid-2005 threatened to suck the life out of the zocalo, early reports indicate that it remains a beloved place and the center of civic life in Oaxaca. More at: Project for Public Spaces | The World’s Best Squares
