show!
Choose other city guides
Monuments in Madrid
Madrid features many interesting monuments to suit everyone's particular tastes; there are the fortified Arab city walls from the 9th Century and the lavish Palacio Real – the official seat of the Spanish kings and queens. Sports fans will rush to Santiago Bernabeu stadium which is the home ground of the legendary Real Madrid football club. If you're interested in more modern architecture go to the Tower of Madrid (Torre de Madrid), which is one of the highest buildings of the Spanish capital and a fine example of contemporary stylistics of Plaza de España. In Madrid you'll also find monuments of some famous historical figures such as Christopher Columbus and Miguel Cervantes. So choose where you want to go first and start discovering Madrid!
|
Casa de La Panadería
|
Address: Plaza Mayor, 27
|
|
|
|
 see map
|
|
|
Casa De La Panadería, or ‘the bakery house,’ was constructed in the early 17th Century as the seat of the bakers’ guild. One of the best-known landmarks of the Spanish capital, it features a vividly painted facade. Designed by Juan Go’mez de Mora, it was one of the first buildings to be erected at Plaza Mayor and served as a model for all later structures. Throughout the history, the facade was destroyed by fire a number of times. Each time it was restored by a different artist using a slightly different technique; over the years, it was decorated by Jose Jimenez Donoso, Claudius Coit, and Enrique Guijo. In the late 1980s, the city authorities commissioned a group of talented young artists to restore and upgrade the dilapidated facade. As a result, Casa De La Panaderia currently boasts a front design of allegorical depictions of time and space. It now serves primarily as a hall hosting exhibitions dedicated to the history of the city.
|
|
|
|
|
Puente de Toledo
|
Address: Glorieta de Marquess de Vadillo
Phone: 34 91 588 29 00
|
|
|
|
|
|
Puente De Toledo, or the Bridge of Toledo, is one of Madrid's genuine Baroque gems. Made of granite , its turrets give it the appearance of a solid, unconquerable fortress. Closed for traffic, it constitutes a lovely spot for afternoon strolls.
|
|
more
|
|
|
Puerta de Alcala
|
Address: Plaza de la Independencia
|
|
|
|
see map
|
|
|
Puerta de Alcala, the Gate of Alcala, is among the images immediately associated around the world with the Spanish capital. Built in the 18th Century upon the order of king Carlos III, it was one of the most impressive gates in the city's fortifications.
|
|
more
|
|
|
Torre España
|
Address: Alcalde Sainz de Baranda, 92
|
|
|
|
see map
|
|
|
Torre España, whose name literally means ‘tower of Spain,’ is a 231-metre tall steel television tower in the heart of the Spanish capital. It handles the broadcasting of a great many national media, such as the popular channel Telemadrid, RTVE, Telecinco, Antena 3, as well as several radio stations. It was constructed for the 1982 FIFA World Cup held in Spain. Torre Espana is known among the locals by a number of affectionate nicknames, which include terms such as Piruli (‘lollipop’) as well as Chupa Chups (a very popular in Europe Spanish brand of lollipops).
|
|
|
|
|
Atocha Memorial
|
Address: Atocha
|
|
|
|
see map
|
|
|
The Atocha Train Station Memorial is a monument commemorating the 191 victims of the Madrid train bombings which occurred just outside of the Atocha station on March 11, 2004. The memorial has a form of a 11-metre tall cylinder built into the main station terminal. The cylinder is topped with a transparent dome bearing thousands of inscriptions of condolence for the victims and their families, expressed in many languages. The dome can be viewed from a chamber inside of the memorial. At the entrance to the chamber, there’s a tribute plaque with names of all the victims of the attacks.
|
|
|
|
|
Casa y Torre de Los Lujanes
|
Address: Plaza de Villa
|
|
|
|
see map
|
|
|
Casa y Torre de Los Lujanes is one of the oldest architectural complexes of the city. It consists of an early 15th-Century tower and a house dating from the later part of the same century. Both were constructed in the Mudejar style. The complex was commissioned by the family of Alvaro de Lujan in 1494, after whom the residence eventually took its name.
|
|
more
|
|
|
Puerta de Europa
|
Address: Plaza de Castilla
|
|
|
|
see map
|
|
|
Puerta de Europa is a spectacular pair of twin towers, designed by American architects Philip Johnson and John Burgee, and sponsored by the Kuwait Investments Office (after which it’s sometimes called the KIO). The name of the complex translates as ‘the gate of Europe.’ A unique example of modern architecture in the city, the two towers located on both sides of Paseo de la Castellana lean towards each other, characteristically marking the skyline of the Spanish capital. The skyscrapers of Puerta de Europa are the first successfully realized project of leaning high-rise structures in the world. Constructed of glass, granite and steel, each of the towers is 115 metres tall and leans by 15 degrees. The spectacular composition makes the twin towers a true portal to the financial district and to the whole of Europe, as it very name indicates.
|
|
|
|
|
Sociedad General de Autores
|
Address: Fernando VI, 4
Phone: 34 91 349 95 50
e-mail: jnebreda@sgae.es
|
|
|
Website: http://www.sgae.es/
|
see map
|
|
|
Sociedad General de Autores, that is the General Society of Authors and Editors is a prominent Spanish organisation whose principle area of work is the management and protection of the copyrights of associated authors and editors. It counts among its members prominent figures from the world of culture, literature, and arts. Its headquarters is situated in the charming Longoria Palace, one of the most interesting examples of Modernist architecture in the Spanish capital. The facade of the building features curiously modelled balconies and leaf-shaped window frames. The interior holds a magnificent staircase, a balustrade, and a breathtaking glass dome.
|
|
|
|