The settlement of the Cathedral of the Canary Islands and the Plaza Mayor de Santa Ana itself, was chosen by the conquerors as the center of one of the first urbanizations of the Canary Islands. The City Hall, the Bishop's Palace and the Cathedral were built around the Plaza de Santa Ana. Along with this, the Patio de los Naranjos of the Cathedral of the Canary Islands, which houses the Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, stands out. Next to the Plaza Mayor de Santa Ana you can also see the Regental Palace, which is the residence of the president of the Territorial Court.

A short distance from where the Plaza Mayor de Santa Ana is located, just behind the Cathedral of the Canary Islands, we find the Columbus House Museum (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria), which recalls the passage and stay in the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria of the discoverer Christopher Columbus on his trip to America.

One of the emblems of the square is the sculptural group commonly called the Dogs of the Plaza de Santa Ana. It consists of eight sculptures that represent dogs that are located at one end of the square, oriented towards the facade of the cathedral. They are made of cast iron, although they are painted green to make them look like bronze. They were placed in the square in 1895, and it is not known exactly who made them or in what workshop or city. Over time, the dogs of Santa Ana have become one of the symbols of the city.