I
TURESPAÑA
Madrid
Madrid
Spain
Spain MINISTERIO DE INDUSTRIA,TURISMO Y COMERCIO
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
Introduction
1
THE TERRITORY
City tours
8
Majestic and stylishly dignified, the archway known as the Puerta de Alcalá (puerta; gate), designed by the architect Sabatini in Spain’s Age of Enlightenment, is at once a symbol of a city eager to welcome the world, and a veritable gateway to Spain for millions of visitors from all around the globe.
Art and culture
34
Side-trips through the region 38
Ireland
Leisure and entertainment
46
Dublin
Three World Heritage Cities an hour from Madrid
52
Useful information
56
United Kingdom London
Paris
France Bay of Biscay
Portugal
Madrid
Lisbon S PA I N Atlantic Ocean
Mediterranean Sea Ceuta Melilla
Font cover: Cibeles y Puerta de Alcalá Back cover: San Lorenzo de El Escorial
Text: Carlos Aganzo
Printed by: GRAFOFFSET, S.L.
Translation: Michael D. Benedict Published by: © Turespaña Secretaría de Estado de Turismo
Photographs: TURESPAÑA Photographic Archives
Ministerio de Industria, Turismo y Comercio
Layout and design: P&L MARÍN
D.L.: M-26117-2009 NIPO: 704-09-325-6 Printed in Spain 4th Edition
Five and half million people live in the Madrid Region (Comunidad de Madrid), with approximately three million concentrated in the metropolitan area. This region is situated at the geographical centre of mainland Spain, and is bordered by Castile & León, whose domains extend northwards as far as the Cantabrian Range and westwards to nearby Portugal. Stretching away to the south and east are the plains of Castile-La Mancha, which convey the
traveller down to the beaches of the Mediterranean. Madrid stands on the Castilian high plateau or tableland (meseta) at a height of 646 metres (2,119 ft.) above sea level, where Barajas Airport is one of the most popular focal points for the forty-nine million tourists who flock to Spain every year. Radiating out from the city’s inner hub is a complex rail and road network that speeds travellers to any corner of Spain, to neighbouring France and Portugal, or to the sea frontier with North Africa. Surrounded by mountains and impressive scenery, the Madrid Region enjoys a temperate continental climate, with spectacular springs, hot summers, long, mild, brilliant autumns, and winters that, while not overly cold, bring snow to the nearby summits, thereby providing additional leisure and fun.
Puerta de Alcalá
HISTORY AND ARTISTIC HERITAGE Behind the modern region that meets the eye today, there lies a significant body of history, which is undoubtedly one of its main attractions. Although the capital
city of Madrid harks back to settlements on the banks of the River Manzanares in the remote past, its foundation as such did not take place until the arrival in the 9th century, of Mohammed I, the fifth Omayyad Emir of Cordoba. Testimony to that era of conquest and splendour of Moorish Spain is still visible in the remains of the Moorish walls, now converted into a venue that in summer stages zarzuela (Spanish operetta), drama and outdoor shows. It was King Alfonso VI, two hundred years later, who won the citadel for the Kingdom of Castile, a citadel that, with its long-vanished alcázar (fortresspalace) was thenceforth to become one of the bastions in the line held by the Christian kingdoms against the Moors. In 1110, the fortress courageously withstood the siege of the Almoravids, and in 1202 Alfonso VIII granted Madrid its Charter, thereby formally constituting the commonwealth of the city and its
domains (Comunidad de Villa y Tierra, villa being equivalent to the French ville). Madrid witnessed the court intrigues to secure the throne of Castile, initially for Juana la Beltraneja, and only subsequently for Isabella the Catholic. The so-called Comuneros (16th-century Segovian insurgency movement) passed through Madrid at the time of King Charles I of Spain, better known as the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, and it was here too that the Court sat in 1561, under Philip II, with the town becoming the capital of an empire on which the sun never set, the centre of the then “civilised” world. Two principal royal houses, the Hapsburgs and the Bourbons (present to this day in the person of the present King Juan Carlos I), experienced the vagaries of fortune in the capital city of Madrid, an “old rambling town” transformed over the years into a royal and illustrious city. Today, with the Hapsburgs as your guide, you can visit the Madrid of the Plaza Mayor
(main square) or Retiro Park. In Bourbon company, on the other hand, you can take in the Royal Palace, Prado Museum, Cibeles fountain or Puerta de Alcalá, on which the enlightened Charles III nicknamed “Madrid’s best mayor”- left his indelible mark. In addition, there are just so many streets and avenues steeped in history, and so many lovely churches, under the protective umbrella of La Almudena Cathedral and the Church of St. Isidore, the legacy of a city that for centuries was the very image of spirituality for the Christian kingdoms. Madrid, city of kings, is also the starting point for the highways and byways that lead to the Royal residences, namely, palaces, mansions or lodges that the monarchs had built in exquisite settings, and whose grandeur has come down to us intact. The Monastery of El Escorial, a short drive from Madrid on the Royal Way to Avila, is indisputably the jewel in the crown. Ensconced in Aranjuez Palace
the mountains, it is an impressive sight, the power base from which Philip II held sway over his boundless domains. Altogether more stylish, flanking the romantic delights of the Tagus riverside, Aranjuez Palace stands as the prime example of the splendour and refinement of a Spanish Court that set the standard in Europe in matters of lineage. Standing in part of what were once extensive hunting grounds in the environs of the capital is the Pardo Palace: in Franco’s Spain it was the centre of power but now, aside from being a popular sight visited by scores of tourists, is reserved for the use of visiting foreign dignitaries. It lies very close to both the Zarzuela Palace, the residence of King Juan Carlos, and the Moncloa Palace, the official residence of the Spanish Prime Minister.
A place that, without a shadow of a doubt, warrants a quick sidetrip is Alcalá de Henares, which enjoyed a pinnacle of splendour from the latter part of the 15th century (coinciding with the foundation of the university) up until the 17th century. Birthplace of Cervantes, the universally acclaimed author of Don Quixote, Alcalá de Henares is a university city that has produced some of the most superlative examples of Spanish culture of all times. It has joined the ranks of the select group of officially declared UNESCO World Heritage Cities, just recompense indeed for the effort made by this town in recent years to rescue its enormous heritage. When travelling through Madrid Province, be sure not to miss certain gems, such as the town squares of Chinchón and Colmenar de Oreja, or the countless Madrid mountain villages and hamlets that have somehow managed to conserve their rustic charm despite their proximity to the capital.
NATURAL HERITAGE If the Madrid metropolitan area is the indisputable administrative and business centre of Spain, with its core centred on the AZCA complex, Castellana boulevard and industrial belt to the south, then it would be no less true to
La Pedriza
4
Peñalara Tarn
this part of Spain into one of the most ecological areas in Europe. There are innumerable green routes criss-crossing the region, and the wide range of activities on offer includes hiking, mountain climbing, mountain biking and cycling, horse and pony trekking. The Peñalara cirque and tarn possess a silent high-mountain beauty, in which the crystal-clear air and omnipresent greenery compete with the curiously weathered rocks and glinting sheen of the water. The same applies to the La Pedriza area, where delightful spots are to be found along the Manzanares River. For tree lovers, autumn in the Montejo Beech Tree Grove (hayedo) is a riot of colour, as it is in Fuenfría Valley and Herrería Woods (bosque). Without an idea of the evocative natural areas
say that Madrid, as a region, is a genuine ecological paradise. It has impressive natural areas and a booming agricultural sector, which in recent years has developed a number of foodstuffs bearing Madrid’s own seal of origin. Likewise, if Madrid is the institutional capital that is the seat of the country’s parliament, government and king, then it is no less true that the city is the greenest capital in Europe, with its two magnificent oases -Retiro Park (Jardines del Buen Retiro) and the heath-like Casa de Campo- which together head a long list of parks and gardens. A stone’s throw from the major sights and bustling thoroughfares, the Madrid region also boasts singularly scenic spots that are being ever better protected and have made 5
leads from the Prado Museum to the Centro de Arte Reina Sofia via the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum and contains one of the finest collections in the world- street artists form a living art gallery in the Plaza Mayor. Coexisting with the Theatre Royal (Teatro Real) and National Concert Hall, which together host some of the best opera and orchestral performances in the world, are countless live-music venues. Jazz, folk and blues, to say nothing of flamenco, take turns in providing the theme music for Madrid by night. This is a city that, in terms of its autumn festival (among others) is at a peak of cultural splendour, with music and drama as the main attraction. Walking the same streets once trodden by Cervantes and Quevedo are the most eminent writers working in Spanish today. Indeed, it is by no means uncommon to catch sight
that surround the city, it is difficult to form an accurate picture of Madrid.
ESSENTIAL MADRID Exploring its various routes, sure in the knowledge that a snack bar, restaurant, café or gathering point (a great number of which still remain) will always be at hand, bears out that Madrid is a city that permits visitors to admire the splendour of the past without sacrificing any of the comforts of the present. Admittedly, Madrid is its history. Nevertheless Madrid today, at the outset of the 21st century, is essentially a vibrant, dynamic metropolis, a bustling city, a permanent backdrop for art and culture from around the world. A short distance from the socalled “Avenue of Art” -which Outdoor café in Madrid
of one or more of them at some café or cultural event. Yet , beyond all of this –the sights, the parks and the culture– Madrid’s main charm lies in Madrid itself, i.e., the city and its people. Innumerable traces of the traditional, typical or castizo Madrid, with its old buildings and their galleried courtyards, images that might have been lifted straight from the stage set of some comic opera, co-exist with a city that is easy to get around, thanks to its broad avenues, boulevards and shopping malls. The patron saint festivities in honour of San Isidro (St. Isidore) –a ploughman saint who, according to Gómez de la Serna, “convida a rosquillas” (invites one to have the local, small doughnut-like pastries) in May of every year– afford a matchless opportunity to discover the typical Madrid, including its famous bullfighting festival.
San Isidro festivities
Madrid is city of outdoor cafés in summer (terrazas) and taverns and good foodr. It is a city that never sleeps, day or night, where people enjoy talking and joking, where people tend to live at a fast pace and yet always have time for friendship, conversation and relaxation. The open and convivial nature of the townsfolk is the best visiting card of a cosmopolitan city where no-one is a foreigner. Within just a few hours of first setting foot in its streets, newcomers get the feeling that they have lived here all their lives or have finally found their own particular niche in the world. The local saying and its traditional rejoinder run as follows, “De Madrid al cielo… y un agujerito para verlo”, i.e.,
Men and women in traditional dress –chulos or chulapos sporting the chequered Madrid cap (parpusa) and manolas with an exuberant carnation in their hair– take part in a colourful mass fiesta in and around St. Isidore’s Hermitage Chapel and meadow, site of open-air dances, stalls, booths and picnic areas, in a way that is reminiscent of the revelry of another age.
6
7
Calle Las Fuente s Ca lle Hi ler as
ag
LE
CAL
dad ores
Call
Calle Zaragoza
de ent
o
Palacio de Calle Lechuga Santa Cruz
the boundary of mediaeval Madrid. Continuing down San Justo Street, you come to the base of the original curved façade of St. Michael’s Basilica (San Miguel) (4). Calle Puñonrostro leads into the
Ba ja afa l
Nun
Gr
de Sa n
cio
del
Calle
endro
Alm alle
C
Ca va Calle
e
ll Ca
Pedro
ía Mo rer Plaza Granado
illa nd Plaza de do La Paja Re
Cost.
C
Calle
Calle Prín cipe de Anglon a
Plaza Puerta Cerrada
Segovia
Jerónima
e Call pción ce Con
Toledo
e all
CALLE
s
Jardines de Las Vistillas
Viaducto Calle Alamillo
Ca
lle
Calle Duque de Rivas
Plaza S del Cordón acram
Plaza Cruz Verde
Plaza Provincia
Calle
sa Pa
Plaza Conde de Barajas
Calle Cuchillero
la
lle
Segovia
Bor
s
sta
o e P
Plaza San Miguel
Ca
Calle
al
MAYOR
o
Plaza Biombo
Aren
lle
Plaza Herradorres
e
Ca
Nicolás
nti
C. T ravie sa C. D de N uque ájera
San
Sa
Call
Calle
Calle
BAILÉN
lle
Indepe ndenci a
Plaza Santiago C a
alinata
lle
nión La U
Muralla
Ca
Factor
Plaza Mayor
The route continues as far as the urban ensemble of Puerta Cerrada. This, formerly the edge of an old ravine along which Segovia Street now runs, once marked
PALACIO lle
That age-old marketplace and backdrop for Madrid life, scene of autos-da-fé, proclamations, bullfights and festivities, the Plaza Mayor (main square) (1) is arguably the ideal meeting or starting point for any tour of the capital. While the writer Gómez de la Serna described it as “Spain’s back yard”, Alexandre Dumas (Sr.) claimed it had “the most beautiful and best painted vault” of all the theatres he had known, viz., the Madrid sky. Since its inauguration in 1620, the Plaza Mayor has been the symbol par excellence of Hapsburg Madrid (Madrid de los Austrias), with the lovely frescoes of the Casa de la Panadería (bakery) and the equestrian
A total of nine archways afford access to this arcaded square flanked by shops and marqueeshaded outdoor cafés, where street artists continue to lend a touch of the Bohemian Madrid found hereabouts, the Madrid depicted by Benito Pérez Galdos. The Calle de Ciudad Rodrigo (calle; street) leads to the charming San Miguel Market (2). Walk down Cava de San Miguel to the Arco de Cuchilleros (3). Here, up a flight of stairs, the El Púlpito Bar and Las Cuevas de Luis Candelas Restaurant conjure up the romantic atmosphere of eighteenth- and nineteenthcentury Madrid, when royalty might easily cross paths with tough swells and bandits.
Plaza de la Armería
Ca
From the Plaza Mayor to La Almudena Cathedral
Plaza Ramales
tía
Amnis
sc Calle E
Calle
City tours
statue of Philip III as its most noteworthy features.
Calle
Co
1 Plaza Mayor 2 San Miguel Market 3 Arco de Cuchilleros 4 St. Michael’s Basilica 5 Convent of Las Jerónimas del Corpus Christi 6 Plaza de la Villa 7 Lujanes Tower 8 Cisneros House 9 Casa de la Villa (City Hall) 10 Abrantes Palace 11 Duke of Uceda’s Palace (or Palacio de los Consejos) 12 Convent of the Holy Sacrament 13 Emir Mohammed I Park 14 La Almudena Cathedral
leg
iata
Plaza de la Villa
La Almudena Cathedral
describe the style favoured by the Moorish minorities), that the French king, Francis I, was imprisoned after being defeated at Pavía by the Emperor Charles V. What was at one time the municipal newspaper and periodicals archive is now home to the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences. Bridged high up by a narrow passage, Cisneros House (8) and the Casa de la Villa (City Hall) (9) complete the remaining sides of the square.
Plaza del Conde de Miranda, the site of the cloistered convent of the Hieronymite nuns, Las Jerónimas del Corpus Christi (5), better known as Las Carboneras (by reason of a miraculous image of the Virgin Mary found in a coal yard and donated to the convent) where a splendid “Last Supper” by Vicente Carducho (Vicenzo Carducci) is on display in the chancel, and delicious homemade cookies can be purchased through the agency of a turntable. At this point, Calle del Codo turns sharply and opens out into Madrid’s “other” town square, the Plaza de la Villa (6), at the centre of which Philip II’s legendary admiral, Don Álvaro de Bazán, continues to preside over the capital’s public life. It was here, in the Lujanes Tower (7), the city’s oldest civil building and a rare 15th-century example of the Mudejar style in Madrid (mudéjar being the term used to
On the right, at the lower end of Calle Mayor, stands the Abrantes Palace (10), a 17th-century Cisneros House
10
From Emir Mohammed I Park, on the other side of Bailén Street, Madrid drops away and descends almost to the banks of the Manzanares River. This, the site of the Moorish Walls of Maherit (13) (the city originally founded by the fifth Omayyad Emir of Cordoba), is now a venue for holding outdoor shows and concerts in summer. Across the way from the park is the entrance to the neo-Gothic crypt of La Almudena Cathedral (14), designed by the Marquis of Cubas in 1879. Rising above the crypt, the rest of the church was concluded by Fernando Chueca Goitia in the closing years of the 20th century, thus making it an altogether contemporary cathedral standing on a site that dates back to the earliest history of Madrid.
structure that, after acting as the Italian Embassy and headquarters of the Italian battalions of the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War, is now home to the Italian Cultural Institute. Directly opposite is the Duke of Uceda’s Palace (also called the Palacio de los Consejos) (11), which houses the Madrid Regional Military Headquarters. It was built by Philip III’s favourite, Cristóbal Gómez de Sandoval, the son of the Duke of Lerma, who added the Convent of the Holy Sacrament (Santísimo Sacramento) (12) to the palace, with the intention of creating an ensemble that would rival the royal complex formed by the Alcázar and the Convent of the Incarnation. Facing the church is a monument to the victims of the assassination attempt that targeted King Alfonso XIII at this very spot on 31 May 1906.
11
CALLE
era Hil
Ca Zaraglle oza Plaza Provincia
Palacio de Santa Cruz
Calle del Ba rco Sa lud
de Correos
Call
eB
olsa
Royal Palace Plaza de Oriente Theatre Royal Royal Monastery of the Incarnation Senate House Palace of the Marquis of Grimaldi Convent of Las Reparadoras Plaza de Isabel II
19 20 21 22 23 Descalzas Reales Monastery 24 Church of San Ginés 25 Puerta del Sol
Encarnación) (18), a religious complement to the Royal Palace. The reliquary room, scene every 27 July of the working of the “miracle” of the liquefaction of the blood of St. Pantaleon, is indubitably its most popular attraction, but the gatehouse,
13
era
s
15 16 17 18
Opposite the palace, on the far side of the square, is the Theatre Royal (Teatro Real) (17), which was revived as an opera house in 1997, and has now recovered the splendour enjoyed by opera under Isabella II in the 19th century. Flanking the northern side of the square is the Royal Monastery of the Incarnation (Real Monasterio de la
Bor Calle dad ore s
lle Ca
Plaza Conde de Barajas
Tet uá n
los de
st. Co
nto
Ca lle
Ángeles
Sa nto Cu es ta
me
s sta Antigua Casa
Po
Carretas
cra
MAYOR
Calle
Sa
SOL
SOL
lle Ca
Plaza Mayor
e
nal
en
lle
sa la Pa
Ca
Plaza de San Miguel
os
E CALLPlaza de Ayuntamiento la Villa
de Calle
Catedral de la Almudena
Plaza Herradores
Call
Are
Plaza del Carmen
rm Ca
Plaza de la Armería
i ad
e
alinata
rg Ve lle Ca Plaza PALACIO Ramales Ca lle Sa nti ag o Plaza Biombo
Plaza de las Descalzas
c Pre
Call
C. Esc
Jardines Lepanto
ÓPERA
da
Plaza de San Martín
l
ta
de
rie
a ar
VÍA
a Ab
BAILÉN
go PlazaCalle Jacometrezo CALLAO GRAN minSanto Domingo Plaza Calle del Callao
Do
lle
Ar
DesCalle eng año
lle Ca e d
lle
Ca
Jardines Cabo Noval
Tu
Ca
A
Ca
intín
lle
VÍ
lle Ca eras n Ve
Calle San Qu
N
e
Call
Iglesia de s San Martín
co
s de
Mo nt
Bo
le
l Ca
RA
Call e
os
la
Jardines de Sabatini
G
Si lv a
nit ga Le
SANTO DOMINGO
San Calle Ber nar
do
e Call
Plaza Armada Española
o ent om
j elo
N SA
eF Call
Royal Palace
E
Factor
At the behest of Napoleon’s brother, the unpopular Joseph Bonaparte I, the Plaza de Oriente (16) was intentionally laid out to keep possible uprisings at bay from the population’s rulers. For the equestrian statue of Philip IV that presides over the plaza, the king’s face was based on sketches by Velázquez, who lived on the square before it was remodelled. Indeed, no less a personage than Galileo Galilei was involved in the project: he was enjoined to study the problem of balance posed by the horse rearing up on its hind legs.
CU E
AD ST
E NT CE I V
e Call
Madrid’s Royal Palace (Palacio Real) (15) is the starting point for this tour. Built over the old Hapsburg fortress, which was razed to the ground in 1734, it combines its Baroque style with the tradition of Spanish royal residences. The stairway, Throne Room, Hall of Columns, Royal Chapel, and tapestries and paintings by the likes of Mengs, Goya and Luca Giordano are complemented on the exterior by the Sabatini and Campo del Moro Gardens, Plaza de la Armería (Armoury Square), and the spectacle of the changing of the guard at the main gate. The building was designed by Filippo Juvara, Juan Bautista Sacchetti and Francisco Sabatini for
Philip V and Ferdinand VI, neither of whom was ever to take up residence here. Those who did reign here however included Charles III, Charles IV, Ferdinand VII, Isabella II, Alfonso XII and Alfonso XIII.
lle Ca za ia Arr
From the Royal Palace to Puerta del Sol
eR Call
Ca Cal da le rs o
Plaza de Oriente. Theatre Royal
Royal Monastery of the Incarnation
Kings’ Room, cloister, paintings by Ribera, Carreño Miranda and Antonio Pereda, as well as Gregorio Fernández’s sculptures of a “Recumbent Christ” and “Christ tied to the column” are of exceptional calibre.
houses the Centre for Political and Constitutional Studies.
Immediately behind the Convent of the Incarnation, built on the site of an old Augustinian convent, is the Senate House (19) or Upper Chamber of the Spanish Parliament, in which the Debating Chamber and Library are the leading sights. To the building’s left, stands the former Palace of the Marquis of Grimaldi (20) which was designed by Sabatini and today Descalzas Reales Monastery
Stroll down Calle Torija, past the Convent of the Reparadoras (21) –dating from 1782, designed by Ventura Rodríguez and intended to house the Tribunal of the Holy Inquisition– as far as the Plaza de Isabel II (22), where a different façade of the Theatre Royal looms into sight. A short walk away lies the Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales (Discalced, i.e., barefoot Carmelites) (23), yet another of the Spanish Crown’s religious gems. Founded in the 16th century, the monastery is tantamount to a condensed “chronicle of Europe” under Senate House
Puerta del Sol
Hapsburg rule; the chapels surrounding the cloister, the spectacular Royal Staircase, the mock balcony from which Philip IV and his family appear to look down, and the Tapestry Room are just a tiny sample of the exquisite, secluded atmosphere in which Tomás Luis de Victoria, the Royal Chapelmaster, composed some of his most sublime pieces.
pastries known as churros) and second-hand bookshops, is an enduring landmark of the Madrid of the Romantic Age. The last stretch of the street brings you to the very heart of Madrid, the zero kilometre mark for all Spanish roads, the Puerta del Sol (25). A modern equestrian statue of Charles III stands opposite the Casa de Correos, the former post office which now acts as the seat of the Madrid Regional Authority and has featured prominently in a good few episodes of the city’s recent history.
The route now crosses Arenal Street to pass by the popular Church of San Ginés (24). Standing on the remains of an old mediaeval church and rebuilt after successive fires in the 17th and 19th centuries, the church houses a magnificent El Greco. Outside, the lane known as the Pasaje de San Ginés, with its Chocolatería (selling hot chocolate and the typical fried
ROYAL PALACE Calle Bailén Underground station (Metro): Ópera www.patrimonionacional.es
15
Plaza Puerta Cerrada Ca afa l
Mo re
r ía
i
nd
O
ED
lle
a
uil
a
An
C Tabe alle rnilla
s
TO L
Ca
LE CA L
Ca
ete e rer let mb Plaza bu Tri La Corrala lle Ca ro
ol
S
es
red
ino
Cas
So
Pa
el
Mira
el e d
pa Am
Palom
a
l
s
de
p ié
Ro
Calle
es dor baja Em
DA
de
RON
Calle
de
lle
va
Ág
La
lle
lle Ca
són Me
Ca
lle
CALLE
Ca
lle
e as
Ca
Po
Plaza Campillo Mundo Nuevo
Curtidores
n
nto
e od
de
es
Glorieta Puerta de Toledo
s
da
nero Calle Car iches C. Arn
Me
l
PUERTA TOLEDO
Calle Cabeza Calle Calvario
z
zále
Gon
elo Juan
Calle
CO
rial Impe
rc
de
e
HA
Plaza Tirso Calle Magdalena de Molina
Alba
ue d
Duq
ATO C
Calle e Plaza de Call ienda Cascorro om Enc los San Car lle Ca des a b Plaza A lle nta Ca Oso Cabestreros Sa l de Plaza Vara del Rey EMBAJADORES
la zue
CIS
o ad
e
Call
rgan e A
AN VIA
iata
TIRSO DE MOLINA
Ribera
Calatrava
FR
o
GO
jó
n.
gel
Án
Call
N SA VÍA
SE C
leg
da
Humilladero
lle
las
lle Ca de
Calle
Ca
GRAN
io
Co
LLE
Calle
ja Ba Alta va va Plaza Ca Ca San Carros Plaza Pedro Humilladero Plaza co Cebada ncis Fra n a LATINA eS ll a Ru C
sar
Ro lle Ca De sc ar RO ga ND s A
lle
Gr
Plaza de lla La Paja
Calle
BAILÉN
IA OV SEG A
o
do
Calle
Pase
St. Isidore’s
CA
ent
Segovia
Re
de
Close by, is one of the very few remaining examples of mediaeval Madrid, i.e., the Church of St. Peter the Old (or Royal St. Peter’s) (27),
At No. 2 Plaza de San Andrés, the former site of the Count of Paredes’ Palace where the worker saint once lived as a servant, is the present-day San Isidro Museum (29). It houses the miraculous well where the saint
lle
Ca
Cuesta
Starting in the most typical part of Madrid, at St. Isidore’s Church (San Isidro) (26), this route follows in the steps of the patron saint of all Madrileños (the term applied to the city’s denizens). The retable of the Holy Family by Sebastián Herrera, and the chapel of Jesús del Gran Poder are some highpoints of a church which was designed along the lines of Il Gesù in Rome by Pedro Sánchez, and whose foundation stone was laid by Philip IV.
From St. Peter’s make your way to the Plaza de la Paja, the site of the Bishop’s Chapel (Capilla del Obispo) (28) built in 1518 by Francisco de Vargas and Inés de Carvajal, and an almost unique example of the transition from Gothic to Renaissance.
Jardines de Las Vistillas
RO ND
From St. Isidore’s Church to Toledo Bridge
built by Alfonso XI over the erstwhile Morería Mosque. Its old Mudejar tower was rebuilt in the 14th century.
Calle
Calle D oc Cortezotor C Relaalle tore s
ram
Segovia
Ca de R lle Cond oma e none s
Sac
Calle
Call
DE
TOLE D
EMBAJADORES
O
P
Glorieta de Embajadores
26 St Isidore’s Church
saved his son from drowning, as well as an interesting collection of palaeontological and archaeological remains of Madrid.
27 Church of St. Peter the Old (or Royal St. Peter’s)
From here, the itinerary continues down Carrera de San Francisco as far as the Church of
31 Toledo Gate
28 Bishop’s Chapel 29 San Isidro Museum 30 Church of St Francis the Great 32 Toledo Bridge
Bishop’s Chapel
St. Francis the Great (San Francisco el Grande) (30). Building on this church of cathedral-like dimensions began in 1761, on the site of a Franciscan convent where, legend has it, St. Francisco of Assis once stayed. In 1776, Sabatini put the finishing touches to the initial design produced by the friar-architect Francisco Cabezas, who had certain difficulties with the dome –the fourth largest in the world. This stunning church boasts an important collection of paintings, with Goya’s “San Bernardino de Siena” heading the list. The Gran Vía de San Francisco leads to the Toledo Gate (Puerta de Toledo) (31), designed by Joseph Bonaparte. To one side of the roundabout (glorieta), the former central fish market has
Toledo Gate
Church of St. Francis the Great
been converted into a shopping and cultural centre known as the Puerta de Toledo Market. Heading in the direction of the Manzanares River, Calle de Toledo descends majestically to the monumental Toledo Bridge (Puente de Toledo) (32). At the centre of the bridge, constructed by Pedro Ribera in the 18th century, St. Isidore and his wife, Santa María de la Cabeza, still beckon passers-by to continue onwards to the other side of the river, to the meadow and Hermitage Chapel of San Isidro.
Prado Museum
The Avenue of Art and Carrera de San Jerónimo
paintings, sculptures, tapestries and objets d’art, dating from the 13th through to the closing years of the 20th century.
Distributed over its three floors, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum (33), our starting point for this intensive art-filled itinerary, brings together a select, permanent art collection, which is further enriched by intensive exchange of temporary exhibitions with leading galleries around the world. In 1992, the architect Rafael Moneo managed to preserve the neoclassical façade of the former Villahermosa Palace and yet transform the building into a modern art gallery that holds one of the world’s finest private collections, with over 800
Just around the corner from the Thyssen is the Spanish Parliament (Congreso de los Diputados) (34), a 19th-century structure with clear Renaissance echoes, designed by Narciso Pascual y Colomer. Cross the Plaza de las Cortes and walk up Calle del Prado to get to the mansionhouse that is the
Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum
19
Prim
Infa ntas Rein a Red de V ÍA San Luis Caballero de G racia Calle Jardines e
e
o
PRADO
Call
Dr. Cor tezo C. R elato res
e
la
ado
Calle
María
Av e
t ue uq Fo
Murcia
ro va
Ál
Paseo
t rve Se el
Delicias
EL
z
Calle
ISAB
de
VA DA RON
TA
ATOCHA-RENFE
én
A
CI LEN
FA N
M
gu
IN
A
CH ATO DA RON
lle
es es
dor
ncia Vale o par Am
C
Ca
de
red
baja
Mi
O
Puerta de Atocha
33 Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum
38 Church of Jesus of Medinaceli
34 Parliament
39 Neptune Fountain
35 Madrid Atheneum
40 Royal Academy of the Spanish Language
36 Lope de Vega House-Museum
41 Church of San Jerónimo el Real
37 Church and Convent of the Trinitarians
42 Prado Museum 43 Botanical Gardens 44 Centro de Arte Reina Sofía National Museum
20
ñez
n Nú
erná
de F
SE
Do
alle
ue Duq
Plaza del Emperador Carlos V P A
l
ctor
lle
Pa
Em
lle
be
Dr .P iga de Arg umos
eo Pas
C. Claudio Moyano
ATOCHA
Isa
a
Ca
de
C.
Ca
PASEO
Ca l Ca le B lle ue n Ca Zu avis lle r t Sa ita a litr e
Calle
l
de
són
C.
Parliament
ALFONSO XII
lle Ca
Me EMBAJADORES
ina
ent Paseo de Arg
Calle Espalter
Calle Fucar
piés Lava
lle
Ca
te
Coming full circle, you get to the Plaza de Cánovas del Castillo, presided over by the Neptune Fountain (39), portraying the god of the sea resplendent in his chariot. In the adjoining Plaza de la Lealtad, the monument to the fallen is flanked by the classical Stock Exchange building and the elegant Hotel Ritz, built in 1910. Nearby is the Royal Academy of the Spanish Language (Real Academia Española de la Lengua) (40) and the striking Church of San Jerónimo el Real (St. Jerome) (41), traditionally the setting for events of great significance in the life of Spain’s Bourbon monarchy.
Parque de El Retiro
Calle Felipe IV
Pr
Call
Plaza de Lavapiés Call e
ule
b Tri
o
JERÓNIMOS
DEL
LLE
e
éjic
Montalbán
Calle Cervantes
CA
ret
eM
Plaza de Calle Antonio Maura la Lealtad
Lope Vega de las e Sa Huert nta a s Mar ía Plaza Calle Magdalena Antón Martín Moratín Calle de Calle Cabeza ANTÓN MARTÍN Calle Gobern Calle Calvario ador Calle AT es Almad c S e OC an én C. Tres P Ild efo HA C. San ns Carlos o Sa nta
bre
Av .d
Call
de
LAVAPIÉS
LÁ
ALCA
Calle Valenzuela
Bolsa
century and maintains the glamour of the grand European hotels, complete with liveried doormen.
nda
RETIRO
CALLE
Call
Zorril
Calle Jeró nim
el e d
Villanueva
Calle Conde de Ara
Calle Moreto
Plaza de Santa Ana
os
CORTES
Echegaray
Ca
uz
Cr
Calle
lle
la
C. Príncipe
Calle Carretas
de
let
RECOLETOS
Museo Naval
P DEASE LA O S CA TA BE . M ZA ª
en rm Ca
Madra Calle de los zo
SOL
co
lle S Olo alus zag tian o a
Calle
SEVILLA
San
Re
Ca
BANCO DE ESPAÑA
CA
Carrera
lle
DE
LLE
SOL
Calle RECOLETOS
Ca
CALLE S ERRANO
Calle
PAS EO D
e
Call
Mo nte ra
Almirante
ER
Marcos
ECO LET OS
Calle Fuen carra Ca l lle de Call Ho e r ta lez de a Pe lay o
Barco
Valverde
San
GRAN VÍA
Plaza del Carmen
Calle
e
ño
GRAN
Calle Piamonte
to Figu eroa
Call
enga
m So
a
CHUECA
gus
Call
Calle
Calle
Au
Barquillo
Des
vin
e
Calle
San Antonio de los Alemanes
Gra
Call
Madrid Athenaeum (35), a regular venue for cultural events and home to a large and interesting portrait gallery. Close at hand -a short walk along León Street and down to No. 11 Cervantes Street- is the Lope de Vega House-Museum (36). Also in the immediate neighbourhood is the 17thcentury Church and Convent of the Trinitarians (37), where Cervantes lies buried.
Heir to the royal collections, the Prado Museum (42) has been fulfilling its role as an art gallery since 1818 and is without rival in the world. It is installed in a building that was originally designed and constructed in 1785 by Juan de Villanueva to act as a Museum of Natural Sciences. The Prado, with facilities that have already been extended as far as Los Jerónimos to allow it to display its vast collections, houses masterpieces by Goya, Velázquez, Murillo, Ribera and Zurbarán. In addition, it is unique for its Flemish and Italian works, the
The itinerary continues through the Plaza de Jesús and along Calle de Duque de Medinaceli, site of the Church of Jesus of Medinaceli (38), which traditionally enjoys a strong and devout following among Madrileños. Diagonally opposite Parliament is the Hotel Palace, which dates from the early 20th 21
addition to its splendid collection of contemporary art, it also holds a number of temporary exhibitions. Built on the site of an old hospital, the centre combines its eyecatching, avant-garde elevator shafts with neoclassical lines, thereby converting itself into hallmark of modern Madrid. Picasso’s world-renowned painting, “Guernica”, is, without doubt, one of the gallery’s most visited exhibits.
legacy of Spain’s imperial era in Europe. The Museum’s three main doors are respectively guarded by like statues of Goya, Velázquez and Murillo. To accompany what was intended to be the Museum of Natural Sciences, the Botanical Gardens (43) in the Plaza de Murillo are imbued with romanticism and possess an interesting variety of plant species. Running along the far side of these gardens is the incline known as the Cuesta de Moyano, lined with stalls dealing in old and second-hand books.
Crystal Palace. Retiro Park
THE THREE GREAT ART GALLERIES
Overlooking the Glorieta de Carlos V, but with its entrance on Calle de Santa Isabel, the Centro de Arte Reina Sofía National Museum (44) completes this art tour. In
PRADO MUSEUM Paseo del Prado, s/n Underground station: Banco de España or Atocha www.museoprado.es
Centro de Arte Reina Sofía National Museum
CENTRO DE ARTE REINA SOFÍA NATIONAL MUSEUM Santa Isabel, 52 Underground station: Atocha www.museoreinasofia.es MUSEO THYSSEN-BORNEMISZA Paseo del Prado, 8 Underground station: Banco de España www.museothyssen.org
22
On the left-hand side of this initial section of Calle Alcalá is the 17th-century Church of Las Calatravas (46), which features a lovely dome and a high altar piece, posthumously attributed to Churriguera. Marking the end of this particular stretch is the Metrópolis Building, a paradigm of the entire area, which was erected between 1905 and 1911 for La Unión y el Fénix Insurance Company, and which divides Alcalá from Gran Vía. Grouped around this same intersection are St. Joseph’s Church (San José) (47), the Ministry of Education, and the Fine Arts Circle (Círculo de Bellas Artes) (48). The latter, which was designed by Antonio Palacios and is considered to be the prime example of art deco in Madrid, is spectacularly
From calle de Alcalá to Retiro Park At the point where Alcalá Street begins, the area around the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando (45) is one of Madrid’s most monumental spots, dotted with large artistic buildings, the head offices of banks and major companies. Though founded in 1744, it was not until 1773 that the Academy took up lodgings in its present premises, a former palace designed by Churriguera. The Academy’s superb art gallery prides itself on its Goya’s and a priceless collection of over 15,000 drawings, ranging from Raphael through Rubens, Tiepolo, Velázquez and Rodin, all the way to Picasso.
23
PAS EO D
PRADO
o
entina
Paseo de Arg
Balboa Pº de
DEL
dor
ATOCHA
be
l
PASEO
o
Isa
z Vene
Ecua
Ca l Ca le B lle ue n Ca Zu avis lle r t Sa ita a litr e
Castelló Calle
Parque de El Retiro
ador
ns
nta
Bo
P
Calle Espalter
Calle AT Almad én n I OC HA lde fo
Sa
Sa
de
Núñez Calle o
e as
éjic
del
es
c C. Tres Pe
de
Coello
Lagasca
eM
ALFONSO XII
Call
Calle Fucar
ría
ia
liv
Av .d
Calle Felipe IV
Calle Cervantes
lle
Ave M a
RETIRO
JERÓNIMOS
Calle
Ca
Calle
PRÍNCIPE DE VERGARA
nda
o Pase
e
Call
Pra del
Lope Vega de las e Sa Huert nta as Marí a Plaza oratín Magdalena Antón Martín Calle de M Cabeza ANTÓN MARTÍN Calle Gobern Calvario
LLE
Villanueva Calle Conde de Ara
uela
do
de
CA
RECOLETOS
Juan
CALLE
o
Bolsa
Plaza de Calle Antonio Maura la Lealtad
Calle Moreto
e
a
GOYA
CORTES
Echegaray
C. Príncipe Call
Calle
Plaza de Santa Ana
Zorrill
Calle Jeró nim
San
Montalbán
Museo Naval
Hermosilla
Jorge
Calle
ECO LET OS
ER
Ca lle Call e
l
Barquillo
carra
de
de
Fu e n
Madra Calle de los zo SEVILLA
Carrera
CALLE
BANCO DE ESPAÑA
Calle
LE
SERRANO
Calle
CALLE
Ho rta lez a Pe lay o
Calle
de
DE
VELÁZQUEZ
Plaza de Colón
JUSTICIA a n Call Santa Brígid e Belé Plaza de Palacio Farma las Salesas de Justicia cia Fern H. C and orté C o VI alle s Calle Gra Piamonte Call Calle e vin a Au Calle Almirante gus RECOLETOS to CHUECA Ca Figueroa lle Calle Re Prim Call co e let os San Ca Marcos lle Call S e Olo alus zag tian Call Infa o a e ntas Rein GRAN a Á Caba ALCAL llero V de G racia ÍA C. Jardines C. Valenzuela
CAL
Calle
CALLE
COLÓN
de
NO
Arg en so la ral. C astañ os
lle
lle
Ca
VA
Plaza de la Villa de París
Ca lle
Ca
S
NO
C. G
e Call
a
an
GÉ
SER R A
ía ej
E
qu
TRIBUNAL
C. Alc Galianalá o
LL
Le
Claudio
M
Bar
Calle
CA
Plaza Santa Bárbara C .S e ta teo rica .T Ma er es
celó
lle
Ca
C. Claudio Moyano Plaza del Emperador Carlos V
45 Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando
eo Pas
e
ue d
Duq
án Fern
Glorieta del ez Angel Caido
Núñ
51 Palacio de las Comunicacione
crowned by a tower and Vasallo’s statue of the goddess, Athena Pallas. Madrid’s symbolic centre and landmark, the Plaza de Cibeles, is flanked by a series of notable buildings. These include: the Army General Headquarters (49), housed in the Buenavista Palace, which dates from 1769; the country’s central bank, the Bank of Spain (Banco de España) (50), built along Renaissance lines in the 19th century; the Palacio de las Comunicaciones (General Post Office) (51), an early 20th century design by Otamendi and Palacios; and the former Linares Palace, a late 19thcentury neoBaroque building which is now home to the Spanish-Latin American cultural centre known as Americas House (Casa de América) (52). Cibeles Fountain (53), designed by Ventura Rodríguez and built by Roberto Michel and Francisco Gutiérrez, represents the Earth Mother, Cybele or Sybil.
The Cibeles Fountain is directly aligned with the Puerta de Alcalá (54), and at night this short walk acquires all the grandeur of a magical stage set. Designed by Francisco Sabatini and erected in 1778, this gate stands as a reminder that Charles III was “Madrid’s best mayor”. Continue down Alfonso XII Street: bordering Retiro Park and keeping the Casón del Buen Retiro (55) as your reference point, turn into these royal gardens, originally created for Philip IV. The oversize hothouse known as the Crystal Palace (Palacio de Cristal) (56), the pavilion-like Velázquez Palace (57), the Cecilio Rodríguez Gardens, the artificial lake –presided over by Alfonso XII’s haughty figure– or any of the many paths with their birds and darting squirrels, are sure to transport you far from the roar of the big city to a bucolic world which functions as a veritable green “lung” in Madrid’s urban anatomy.
Cibeles Fountain
Monument to Alfonso XII. Retiro Park
52 Americas House
46 Church of Las Calatravas
53 Cibeles Fountain
47 St. Joseph’s
54 Puerta de Alcalá
48 Ministry of Education and Fine Arts Circle
55 Casón del Buen Retiro
49 Army General Headquarters
56 Crystal Palace
50 Bank of Spain
57 Velázquez Palace
24
25
Lu ch an a C.
a lez rta
lo
C. Alta San Pab
Valverde
de
Calle
os
Ho
S. Anfrés
lo
San Antonio de los Alemanes Calle
Co nd e
Calle
Pa b
ra de rre
S
VÍ A sc D de Iglesia de esenga ño Tu San Martín Calle CALLAO Jardines GRAN VÍA C. R Plaza de CUESTA la SAN eina o GRAN B de Sabatini Santo Domingo Red de VÍA lle Calle Plaza a C San Luis Ca del Callao ba Jardines de G llero racia Cabo Noval Calle Jardines Plaza del Carmen Plaza Plaza Plaza de de Oriente de Isabel II las Descalzas Call Campo ra Jardines e ALÁ ga ÓPERA r del Moro ALC Lepanto . Ve Aren SEVILLA C al E L Plaza de Puerta CAL PALACIO SOL la Armería del Sol Sa Carrera San Jerónim o nti Plaza ag R O Y o Herradores A M SOL Plaza de z Antigua Casa u SanMiguel Cr de Correos E la CALL de le l Call e Plaza de Ca Sac Palacio de Bolsa Santa Ana Parque de Atenas Call ram e d ento Santa Cruz e la s H de Segov Calle n Jerónima uert epció CA ia as Conc LLE cio n u Ca N ll . e A C Jardines de Plaza de Co TO le gia La Paja CH Las Vistillas ta illa A ja Plaza Tirso Calle Magdalena nd Ba lta TIRSO do de Molina va va A DE MOLINA e a a R C C za
SANTO DOMINGO
lle
N
CE
VI
Ca
PRÍNCIPE PÍO
rria
Calle
Ab
nte ra
Ca
e
Call
n
os
iad
e rm
Ca
c Pre
Mo
lle
ta
BAILÉN
a
ad
rie
Ar
de
le
l Ca
res
elato
tezo
C. R
CALLE
Dr. Cor
IA
RO
ND
AS EG
OV
58 Caballero de Gracia Oratorio 59 Telefónica Building 60 Plaza de España 61 St. Mark’s Church 62 Temple of Debod 63 Cerralbo Museum 64 Liria Palace 65 Conde Duque Barracks
27
Echegaray
Toledo
see the Baroque-style Church of St. Mark (San Marcos) (61), designed by Ventura Rodríguez. A monument to Cervantes and Don Quixote stands in the middle of the square, which affords welcome respite in this busy part of Madrid. Nearby, the Ferraz Gardens, which eventually lead into the Parque del Oeste, and the Temple of Debod (62), brought stone by
Calle
Calle
sa
Pa
Gran Vía
Calle Príncipe
Calle Carretas
e la C. d
The last leg leads down to Plaza de España (60), a square dominated by two tall buildings, the Edificio España and Torre de Madrid, which command sensational city views. Before entering the Plaza de España, a short detour is recommended to
Farmacia H. C orté s
l
a
lv Si
ja
Ba
Co
isa
Ca
M ad
al le
na
C
Lu
Barco
SAN lle
teo
Ma
n
Sa
Fuencarra
Ca
an
z Pe
os o anit ent loj Re
lle
Fom
TE
N
Leg
Ca
so
RA
lle
A lle Ca
Ca da r
San Plácido
Bar
TRIBUNAL
lle Ca Plaza de San Ildefonso
de
er a
sú
e .J
l C
Reyes
G
C. Ca
Ca
lle
Ca
CALLE
ist ar
Lu
lle
s
Calle
celó
lle
Ca de
PLAZA DE ESPAÑA
a lV
UNIVERSIDAD de
Parque de la Montaña
Ferrer San to lle
ro Calle Teso
STA
Larra
o
Vicente Espíritu
Palma
rruca Chu
in
e
la
Calle
rd
e Call
na
A
a
ros He
er
ad
er
Divin
o
San Calle
NOVICIADO
ZA Glorieta la Malasaña de Bilbao SA GA
Pasto r C. Daoiz Plaza Dos de Mayo C. Velard
de
Calle
BILBAO
RRAN
C. Manue
Calle
Calle Montserrat
Noviciado
nB
ES
lle
do
na Marce
de
Plaza de las Comendadoras Calle
Sa
BERNAR DO
Du qu e
lca lá
es de A
z
Ca lle
INC
los
Pr
Ca
Cru
Amaniel
o Sa n M ig Fe ue rn Ven l an tura da Ro Ca dríg lle uez Má rtir
ta
de
PR
tor Tu
Ev
San
VENTURA RODRÍGUEZ
lle
Glorieta Ruiz Jiménez CA
Calle
de
z
rra
Fe
Ca lle
A
LA
r cto Ví
e
e
ll Ca
c
an
Fr
y Re
o isc
SAN BERNARDO
AGUILER
Calle
ll Ca lle
Ca
DE
rtín Ma
a
tan
in Qu
ALBERTO
o rnand C. Fe ojas de R
e
e Bu
Call
e
E
Su
n
ARGÜELLES
LL
c
ll Ca
As it proceeds along Gran Vía, a street that goes back to the turn of the twentieth century, this itinerary passes through one of Madrid’s leading leisure and entertainment areas, lined with cinemas, theatres, cafés, restaurants and department stores. From the start, the street is flanked on either side by large buildings. Rising to your left, directly opposite the Museo Chicote bar -a traditional haunt back in the Bohemian Madrid of Ava Gardner and Orson Welles- is the Caballero de Gracia Oratorio (58). This elegant neoclassical building designed by Juan de Villanueva in the latter years of the 18th century, stands on the street of the same name.
lle Ca
CA
e
lle Ca
ll Ca
From Gran Vía to the Conde Duque Barracks
Farther on, the Telefónica Building (59), designed in 1929 by the American architect, Weeks, was the first skyscraper in Madrid, and marks the end of Red de San Luis and the beginning of new stretch of Gran Vía that leads as far as Plaza del Callao. Here, giant cinema hoardings look down from stylish buildings, such as the Palacio de la Prensa, influenced by the Chicago School, and the Carrión Building which, like the Capitol Cinema it houses, dates from the early years of the 20th century.
o es
Conde Duque Barracks
since the street that bears his name leads back to Calle de la Princesa and the Liria Palace (64), the Duke of Alba’s Madrid residence, designed by him in 1780. Behind the palace, the Conde Duque Barracks (Cuartel del Conde Duque) (65), graced by a fine Baroque portal, no longer act as military quarters. Instead, the building houses the Municipal Gallery of Contemporary Art, the Municipal Newspaper and Periodicals Archive (hemeroteca), Municipal Historical Archive, a number of exhibition rooms and other municipal departments, and in summer, its quadrangle becomes a venue for evening concerts and shows.
stone from Egypt, are a superb vantage point from which to see how Madrid is expanding. On the other side of Calle Ferraz is the Cerralbo Museum (63), a stately 19th-century mansion containing an important collection of furniture and art treasures. Once again the traveller is confronted by the great architect, Ventura Rodríguez,
St. Mark’s
Monument to Cervantes and Don Quixote. Plaza de España
28
Arg en so la l. Ca staño s
GÉ
NO
VA
COLÓN
Plaza de la Villa de París
Plaza de Colón
JUSTICIA
NO
lle Ca Plaza de San Ildefonso
lle
a
n Sa
C. Alc Galianalá o
E
C. G ra
Ma
LL
Ca
SAN
C. Alta San Pab lo
BER NAR DO
ue Du q de Co n
a er
na
nd
Ro dríg uez
uis aF
Ven tura
Ca lle L
TRIBUNAL
Ferrer San to e ll
Calle Orfilia
CA
Plaza Santa Bárbara C .S ta .T er es lle Ca
Va el
teo
ica
ro Calle Teso
UNIVERSIDAD
er
Vicente Espíritu
qu
o
lle
Ca
Palma
Bar
Le
in
la
San Calle
celó
ía
rd
e
ej
na
C. Velard
Plaza Alonso Martínez
M
ros He
SA CE
er
r
arra C. L
nB
Amaniel
los
IN PR
r
Noviciado
Sa
Pasto
de
Calle
LE
to Tu
lle
o
de
Calle NOVICIADO
Ca
Divin C. Daoiz
69
SER R A
PAS E
e
Ca lle
Call
CALLE
OD ER ECO LET OS
de
de
lo
Barco
Valverde
Pa b
Calle
Barquillo
Calle
l
C al le Co rre de ra
Fuencara
z Pe
os o anit ent Leg Fom C. lle loj Ca Re lle Ca
CALLE
Ho rta lez a Pe lay o
ra
d
ad e
s
M
lle
Ca
sú
e .J
Calle
n Call Santa Brígida e Belé Plaza de Palacio Farma las Salesas de Justicia cia l C Fern Parque de PLAZA DE e Re l H l yes . Co and ESPAÑA la Montaña rtés Ca o VI Ca Plaza lle Calle n Gra de España Ca San Plácido Piamonte Call G Sa Calle e vin lle RA a a j Ca Au Lu N Calle Ba Almirante gus RECOLETOS lle na to CHUECA Ca Ca San Antonio de Figueroa lle da los Alemanes Calle Re rso Prim Call co e let a os lv E i S s a VÍ T n o S Ca c Marcos N SANTO A s D lle e Iglesia de ese E C d DOMINGO S n a C gaño lle Olo alus Tu San Martín Calle VI zag tian Infa CALLAO SAN Jardines o GRAN VÍA Calle a Plaza de la ntas GRAN Bo de Sabatini Santo Domingo Rein lle a Calle Plaza a Red de C V del Callao Á ÍA Jardines San Luis Caballero ALCAL de G Cabo Noval racia Calle Calle Jardines Plaza del Valenzuela BANCO DE Carmen Plaza Plaza DE ESPAÑA Plaza de de Oriente Isabel II Calle Montalbán las Descalzas a Call ar e Madra rg ÓPERA Museo Naval e Calle de los zo V LLE Aren A . C C SEVILLA al Plaza de PALACIO Zorril SOL Bolsa JERÓNIMOS la Armería la Sa Carrera Calle San nti Plaza Plaza de Calle Antonio Maura ag R Jeró O Y o Herradores A M nim la Lealtad SOL o Plaza de Antigua Casa uz CORTES SanMiguel Cr de Correos E a L l L A C do de Calle Felipe IV Pra lle Call del e Plaza de Ca alle C Sac B Palacio de Santa Ana olsa ram Calle Cervantes ent Santa Cruz o
Calle
de
za rria
Calle
a ad Ab
ra
nte
PRADO
Mo
e
DEL
O PASE
BAILÉN
CALLE
Call
66 Municipal Museum
71 National Archaeological Museum
67 Romantic Museum
Stretching from the Puerta de Alcalá almost all the way to María de Molina Street, and covering the streets running parallel and perpendicular to Calle de Serrano, is the elegant
72 Americas Museum
68 Dos de Mayo Square
73 Segovia Bridge
69 Descubrimiento Gardens
74 San Antonio de la Florida
70 National Library
Plaza de Colón
Salamanca District (barrio), designed in the 19th century by the Marquis of Salamanca. Fashionable boutiques and furniture shops, art galleries, cafés and offices line this quarter, with its stately buildings and spacious avenues
that flow past the Descubrimiento Gardens (69) in the Plaza de Colón (Colón; Christopher Columbus), flanked by the splendid architectural group formed by the National Library (70) and National Archaeological Museum (71).
31
ALFONSO XII
Echegaray
C. Príncipe
Calle
Calle Carretas
PLAZA DE COLÓN AND THE SALAMANCA DISTRICT
CALLE
en rm Ca dos cia Pre
Segovi
a
de
s Pa e la C. d
Calle
lle
ta rie
Ar
Ca de
lle Ca
Salamanca District
VENTURA RODRÍGUEZ
A lle Ca
To all intents and purposes, the rectangle formed by Fuencarral, Carranza and San Bernardo streets and the area to the rear of Gran Vía encloses the district which served as the setting for the famed Spanish “scene” (movida) of the 1980s, and which continues to be one of Madrid’s choice nightlife areas. The Churches of St. Placidus (San Plácido), St. Martin (San Martín) and San Antonio de los Alemanes, the Municipal Museum (66), the Architect Ribera Gardens leading to the Romantic Museum (Museo Romántico) (67), and the Theatre Museum, are all concentrated around the Plaza del Dos de Mayo (68), the name of which commemorates the townsfolk who rose up in the insurgency against the Napoleonic invasion in 1808.
L CA
THE MADRID OF MALASAÑA AND DOS DE MAYO
de
Other places of interest
R
rtín Ma
ey
Plaza de las Comendadoras Calle
rruca Chu
co
cis
an
Fr
THE FARO DE MONCLOA AND AMERICAS MUSEUM In the vicinity of the university campus at the north-western approach to Madrid, the Moncloa district combines urban expansion, large parkland areas –from the Parque del Oeste across to the Dehesa de la Villa– with a motley, irrepressible university atmosphere. From the Faro de Moncloa (faro; lighthouse), which is over the way from the Americas Museum (Museo de América) (72), the views are extraordinary and reveal Madrid as truly being the “green” capital of Europe. The Triumphal Arch and Herrerianstyle Air Force General Headquarters are architectural points of interest in a district dominated by students. FROM SEGOVIA BRIDGE TO SAN ANTONIO DE LA FLORIDA The Puente de Segovia (73) is the oldest of the city’s bridges over the Manzanares River. Designed by Juan de Herrera in the late 16th century, it affords the best view of the Royal Palace Segovia Bridge
and La Almudena Cathedral. Moving upstream, through parks and groves of trees, you get to the district of San Antonio de la Florida (74). The church’s outstanding features include its twin chapels, housing the remains of Goya and his spectacular frescoes. LITERARY MADRID Madrid is a city where it is hard to find a single spot that does not have its own literary reference, ranging from major symbols such as the National Library or Royal Academy of the Spanish Language, to cultural centres such as the Fine Arts Circle, Atheneum, Centro Cultural de la Villa or the eternally restless university halls of residence. What is more, history is at hand to confirm it. The Golden Age of Spanish literature is present in the so-called literary quarter, delimited by the Plazas of Cánovas del Castillo and Carlos V. Góngora, Quevedo and Tirso de Molina once walked the street hereabouts, not far from the
Lope de Vega House and Convent of the Trinitarians. Close by, in the Plaza de Santa Ana, the statue of Calderón contemplates the Teatro Español, whose façade recalls some of the country’s most celebrated playwrights. This was also the site of the Corral de la Pacheca and Café del Príncipe, haunts of the intellectual circle known as the Peña el Parnasillo -a symbol of literary Madrid in the 19th century- which numbered Larra, Espronceda, Ventura de la Vega and Mesonero Romanos among its members.
Café Gijón
Baroja, Unamuno, Machado and Valle-Inclán– passed the torch to the Generation of 27, all of whom were based at the Residencia de Estudiantes on Pinar Street. It was here too that Juan Ramón Jiménez, Pablo Neruda and, in particular, the group comprising Lorca, Alberti, Dámaso Alonso, Gerardo Diego, Vicente Aleixandre, Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dalí, left their mark.
The Madrid of Benito Pérez Galdós still survives in the environs of the Plaza Mayor. Similarly, in and around the Puerta del Sol it is still possible to witness scenes that might have been taken straight from ValleInclán’s play, “Luces de Bohemia”. In his book “La sagrada cripta del Pombo”, Ramón Gómez de la Serna heaps praise on the café that used to be on Carretas Street and for many years was the paragon of all Madrid cafés, genuine circles of discussion (tertulias) and power, some of which, like the Café Comercial on the Glorieta de Bilbao or the Café Gijón on Paseo de Recoletos, continue the tradition to this day.
Dotted about the city are sculptures that honour writers of all eras and from all parts of Spain who at some time or other made Madrid their literary centre. As a general rule, museums and art galleries are open from Tuesday to Saturday, mornings and afternoons, on Sundays and Public Holidays during the morning only, and close on Mondays. For fuller information kindly consult the nearest tourist information office.
Here in Madrid, the writers of the Generation of 98 –Azorín, 33
Americas Museum American archaeology and ethnography, from prehistory until the present. Valuable collection of pre-Columbian art. Avda. de los Reyes Católicos, 6 Underground station: Moncloa
Art and culture Museums and art centres Hermitage Chapel of San Antonio de la Florida Chapel in which the worldrenowned Spanish painter, Francisco de Goya, lies buried. The dome was designed by the artist himself. Glorieta San Antonio de la Florida, 5. Underground station: Príncipe Pío
National Archaeological Museum Valuable archaeological pieces from all over Spain, along with coins and ceramics. Serrano, 13. Underground stations: Serrano or Colón Waxworks (Museo de Cera) Wax figures of famous personalities down the ages, set against faithfully re-created backdrops. Plaza de Colón Underground station: Colón
Descalzas Reales Monastery Collection of paintings, tapestries, religious images, relics. Plaza de las Descalzas Reales, 3 Underground station: Sol or Ópera.
Natural Sciences Museum Permanent Exhibition of Natural Sciences. José Gutierrez Abascal, 2 Underground station: Nuevos Ministerios or Gregorio Marañón
Royal Monastery of the Incarnation Painting and sculpture dating from the 16th to 17th centuries. Plaza de la Encarnación, 1 Underground station: Ópera
Municipal Museum Housed in an old hospice built by Pedro de Ribera, the museum is a fine example of Baroque civil architecture. Different collections of prints, paintings, drawings, porcelain, coins, medals and photographs, connected in some way with Madrid. Fuencarral, 78 Underground station: Tribunal
Municipal Museum
Sorolla Museum House-Museum that displays works by Joaquín Sorolla and 34
paintings that the artist collected over his lifetime. General Martínez Campos, 37 Underground station: Rubén Dario Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando The Academy houses one of the finest collections of the 16th- to 19th-century Spanish School. In addition there are drawings, sculpture and porcelain. Alcalá, 13 Underground station: Sol or Sevilla
Sorolla Museum
cultural centre. Castelló, 77 Underground station: Núñez de Balboa
Exhibition rooms National Library Founded by Philip V in 1712, the library acquired most of its valuable old books in the 19th century. It holds exhibitions, lecture cycles and book presentations. Paseo de Recoletos, 22 Underground station: Colón
Classical music National Concert Hall (Auditorio Nacional de Música) This building, designed by the architect, José María García de Paredes, is home to the Spanish National Orchestra & Choir (Orquesta y Coro Nacionales de España). Príncipe de Vergara, 146 Underground station: Cruz del Rayo
Fine Arts Circle Antonio Palacios’ building has been officially declared a national monument. The Círculo de Bellas Artes devotes itself to holding exhibitions and cultural events of the highest order. Alcalá, 42. Underground stations: Sevilla or Banco de España
Zarzuela Theatre Built in the 19th century at the instance of composers such as Barbieri, Gaztambide and Arrieta, this theatre sets the standard for staging zarzuela and other Spanish musical genres.
Juan March Foundation Private institution created in 1955 by the financier, Juan March, to act as a modern 35
Jovellanos, 45 Underground station: Banco de España or Sevilla
Café Central One of the capital’s jazz Meccas. Plaza del Ángel, 10 Underground station: Sol or Antón Martín
Teatro Monumental Home base of the Spanish Radio & Television Orchestra (Orquesta de la Radio Televisión Española RTVE). Atocha, 65 Underground station: Antón Martín
In addition to the above, there are innumerable nightspots featuring flamenco acts, restaurants with floor shows and live music, concert halls, nightclubs and places to dance to live bands. Madrid also hosts annual Jazz and Flamenco Festivals.
Theatre Royal (Teatro Real) Since the Teatro Real was refurbished and restored as Madrid’s Opera House in 1997, its programme of operas, recitals, concerts, zarzuelas and ballet has come to epitomise the wide range of culture on offer in Madrid. Plaza de Oriente Underground station: Ópera
Theatre Teatro Español
Bellas Artes Marqués de Casa Riera, 2 Underground station: Banco de España Calderón Atocha, 18 Underground station: Tirso de Molina
Night live-music venues
Centro Cultural de la Villa Plaza de Colón Underground station: Colón
Sala Clamores A “must” for all leading jazz bands and an occasional venue for singer-songwriters and blues groups. Alburquerque, 14 Underground station: Bilbao
Español Príncipe, 25 Underground station: Sol or Antón Martín Infanta Isabel Barquillo, 24 Underground station: Banco de España
Casa Patas This is the night spot for live flamenco. Cañizares, 10 Underground station: Antón Martín
Teatro Clásico Embajadores, 9 Underground station: La Latina
36
Teatro María Guerrero Centro Dramático Nacional. Calle Tamayo and Baus, 4 Underground stations: Banco de España, Chueca and Colón
number of cinemas in other parts of the city and the suburbs. Cinemas in the Plaza de España area screen subtitled films in the original version. Likewise, the Filmoteca Nacional (National Film Institute) holds original version cycles, with subtitles or simultaneous translation, at the Doré Cinema (calle de Santa Isabel, 3; Antón Martín Underground station). 3-D movies are shown at Imax Madrid (Parque Tierno Galván; Méndez Álvaro Underground station).
Special events held in the city include a renowned Autumn Festival, an Alternative Theatre Festival and a Dance Festival. During the summer, a series of open-air concerts are scheduled as part of the “Los Veranos de la Villa” cycle.
Entertainment guides listing films, times and cinemas can be found in the appropriate section of all mass circulation dailies, which usually publish leisure supplements on Friday. There are also specialist publications that carry information on all shows and events taking place in Madrid each week.
Cinema While Madrid’s two main cinema areas are on and around Gran Vía (Callao and Plaza de España Underground stations) and Calle de Fuencarral (Bilbao Underground station), there are a
37
Side-trips through the region Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, La Herrería and Valle de los Caídos Situated 50 kilometres (30 miles) north-west of Madrid on the A-6 motorway, the Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial is the purest example of the heart of Castile over which Philip II ruled his vast empire. The style of this monumental complex, begun by Juan Bautista de Toledo and finished by Juan de Herrera in 1563, came to exert a strong influence on many other Spanish Hapsburg buildings. Apart from the splendour of its fourteen courtyards, one thousand doors and two thousand windows it has acted, as a Pantheon of the Kings and Queens of Spain, from Charles I up until the present. Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial
The main façade, facing west, features three entrance ways. The most important of these, crowned by a pediment with the figure of St. Lawrence and the royal coat of arms of Philip II, leads into the Patio de los Reyes (Courtyard of the Kings). This, in turn, discloses the spectacular portal of the basilica, on which David and Solomon -in the centre- preside over the cortège of the six kings of Judea who tower over the courtyard. The basilica’s ground plan is in the shape of a Greek cross, with a nave and two aisles. The dome measures ninety-two metres (301 ft.) and was modelled on that of St. Peter’s at the Vatican. The interior has frescoes by Luca Giordano and Luca Cambiasso, a magnificent altarpiece by Juan de Herrera, royal oratories, and cenotaphs to Philip II and the Emperor Charles V. The cloister and Patio de los Evangelistas connect the basilica to the monastery. Special mention should be made here of the main staircase by Gian Battista Castello, the vault with frescoes by Luca
Giordano, and the vestry and chapterhouses, with paintings by Titian, El Greco, Ribera, Velázquez and Tintoretto. respectively. The “Silla de Felipe II”, a natural seat formed in the rocks, and the Herrería Woods form a scenic counterpoint to a town that boasts a long cultural tradition, complete with market, cafés and local handicrafts. Here too, Madrid’s Complutense University holds summer courses, intended to bring universal knowledge to students through the medium of participants actively involved in the decision-making process.
In the palace area, there is a surprisingly stark contrast between the spartan-like austerity of Philip II’s quarters –with notable portraits by Sánchez Coello and Pantoja de la Cruz– and the sheer luxury of the Bourbon palace of Charles III and Charles IV –decorated with rich tapestries by Goya, Bayeu and Castillo. The Throne Room, Library and chamber where King Philip II died in September 1598, complete the tour through this monumental complex.
The return trip to Madrid affords the chance to compare the imperial dreams of Philip II against that other dream nurtured by General Franco in the Spain of the 20th century, viz., the Valle de los Caídos.
In the grounds of El Escorial, you can also visit the pleasure palaces known as the Casita del Príncipe and Casita del Infante, designed by Juan de Villanueva for Charles IV and Prince Gabriel 39
the two wings of the present Royal Palace built over the remains of Philip II’s Lodge, destroyed by fire in 1655. Charles IV put the finishing touches to the whole with the Jardín del Príncipe and Casa del Labrador.
Royal Palace of Aranjuez and Town Squares of Chinchón and Colmenar de Oreja The Royal Residence of Aranjuez (an officially declared World Heritage Cultural Landscape) stands on the River Tagus, 47 kilometres (30 miles) south of Madrid via the A-4. On a spot that the Catholic monarchs, Isabella and Ferdinand had used as a retreat, Juan de Herrera built the Royal Lodge (Cuarto Real) and Botanical Gardens for Philip II, taking advantage of the mildness of the climate in the river valley. In the 18th century, as a token of gratitude for the town’s support of his cause in the War of Succession, the Bourbon King, Philip V, moved his court to Aranjuez. His son Charles III had
The stairway, Throne, Porcelain and Moorish Rooms are some of the chief attractions of this sumptuous palace. The east overlooks the French-style Parterre Garden, with the late 18th-century Hercules Fountain as its centrepiece. Head for the Jardín de la Isla, where plants, statues and gushing water jets make for a magic, fairy-tale atmosphere. On the site of Ferdinand VI’s orchard-garden, Charles IV charged Villanueva to design the adjacent Jardín del Príncipe, now home to the Falúas Museum (testimony to Spain dream of a link between the
Aranjuez Gardens
40
interior and the sea), and the fanciful Casa del Labrador. From May to October, the socalled Strawberry Train (Tren de la Fresa) follows the 19th-century railway line and, in a pleasant trip that takes a little under an hour, covers the distance between Madrid and Aranjuez. For those who prefer to go by road, however, the route continues as far as the Mar de Ontígola, a dam with its ecological footpath and bird observatory, near Oreja Castle, where the Military Order of St. James (Santiago) had its first convent
Chinchón Parador
used today as a bullring and venue for all manner of shows. Sights worth seeing include: the Church of the Assumption, which was built between the 16th and 17th centuries, and has a Goya, attesting to the fact that the artist spent considerable periods of time here in the company of his brother, the chaplain; St. Augustin’s Convent (today a Tourist Parador); and the castle.
After passing through Villaconejos, the centre of a rich melon-growing area where there is even a melon museum, and –if you feel inclined- making a short detour to take an ecological stroll along the Laguna de San Juan, the itinerary moves onwards to Chinchón, with its slogan of “plaza, castillo y mesón” (square, castle and tavern). The town’s outstanding feature is its stunning 16th-century Plaza Mayor, which has served as the stage-set for films such as “Around the World in 80 days” and Orson Welles’ “Chimes at Midnight”: 234 balconies (called claros by the locals) overlook a square which has been a marketplace, the scene of mystery plays and the setting for an ancient form of bullfighting using lances, and which is still
The vineyards lining the road from Chinchón are a sure sign that, apart from its 18th-century buildings, Ulpiano Checa Museum and 16th-century fortress-church of St. Mary Major (Santa María la Mayor), good wineries await in Colmenar de Oreja. The town’s jewel, however, is the lovely Plaza Mayor, a typical two-tier Castilian square of superb proportions built from the local stone used in a number of other Madrid 41
monuments, such as the Palace of Aranjuez and La Almudena Cathedral.
Spanish grammar, and –above all– a reflection of Cardinal Cisneros’ innovative Christian humanist vision.
Alcalá de Henares
Alcalá, which first appeared as an Iberian settlement known as Iplacea and then became the Roman city of Complutum, received its present name of “Al-Kala en-Har” (castle or citadel) under the Moors. Alfonso VII retook the city in 1129, and in 1293 Sancho IV founded the Estudios Generales, the forerunner of the future university. The first academic course imparted by Cisneros’ university took place in 1508. The institution was to come directly under the king’s purview,
Officially declared a World Heritage Site in 1998, Alcalá de Henares, lying 20 miles from Madrid on the A-2 highway, still displays all the splendour of its rich past as a model Renaissance university city. Alcalá, the birthplace of Cervantes, keeps the memory of the world-famous author of “Don Quixote” alive in a 16th-century House-Museum. Furthermore it is the city of Nebrija, who penned the first
Façade of the University of Alcalá de Henares
was to have its own charter, police and gaol, and in the years that followed, Calderón, Quevedo, Lope, St. John of the Cross (San Juan de la Cruz), St. Ignatius of Loyola and Jovellanos were all destined to study here. Its brilliant trajectory was cut short in 1836 when the University was moved to Madrid, from which it did not return until 1968, coinciding with the city centre’s designation as an Historical Artistic Ensemble.
much more. Shining with a light of its own is St. Justus’ Cathedral (Catedral Magistral, a title conferred upon collegiate churches whose canons were also University professors –magister). This Cathedral, where the remains of the child martyrs Justus and Pastor are venerated, was rebuilt by Cardinal Cisneros in the 16th century and features a beautiful portal containing elements Late Gothic and Plateresque. The Archbishop’s Palace, designed by Covarrubias, has a Renaissance façade of note. Other sights include several sections of the old town walls, as well as the Madre de Dios and San Bernardo Convents. In today’s busy, modern city, this ensemble renders it possible to recapture all the charm and magic of one of the foremost examples of the Renaissance.
The Colegio Mayor de San Ildefonso, built by Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón from 1541 to 1553, is a superb example of the Plateresque style (plata denoting the style’s resemblance to silver filigree) and has become a symbol synonymous with the University. Moving inside, be sure to see the Santo Tomás de Villanueva Quadrangle (patio), the Patio Trilíngüe (Three Languages Quadrangle where Latin, Greek, and Hebrew were taught), the Great Hall and the magnificent lecture podium. Monuments to Cisneros and Nebrija, and the former’s imposing tomb are to be found in the San Ildefonso Chapel. The Jesuit Colegio Máximo, Colegio de San Francisco de Paula and Carmen Calzado building, among others, form the impressive complex of university centres which today house the different faculties.
El Pardo Palace and Montes de El Pardo Although practically annexed to the city of Madrid now, the El Pardo district formed part of 20th-century Spanish history. For more than forty years, General Franco controlled Spain’s destiny from El Pardo Palace. In the midst of this magnificent holm-oak forest, the largest in Europe, populated by wild boar, roe deer, common deer and birds of every kind, stands the Zarzuela Palace,
Important though its university may be, Alcalá de Henares is 42
43
El Pardo Palace
the permanent residence of the Spanish Royal Family.
is one of the highlights of any a visit to the Montes de El Pardo. The suburb of El Pardo, which lies along the Manzanares River, is a small village from which different trails lead off to outdoor eating spots, the Quinta Palace and the heart of the woods.
A string of sports and leisure clubs, and numerous restaurants serving good food and game line the road, which winds through the rolling countryside that has traditionally been a royal hunting ground. The Emperor Charles V and Philip II were frequent occupants of the Pavilion of Enrique el Doliente, built in 1405 and transformed by Juan de Mora into a palace for Philip III, after a fire had destroyed the old building. Murals by Bayeu and Maella and rich tapestries from the Royal Tapestry Factory adorn this well-proportioned palace, where King Alfonso XII died. Today, it is used as accommodation for foreign dignitaries paying official visits to Spain.
Lozoya Valley and El Paular Monastery The Laguna Grande and Laguna de los Pájaros are both glacial lakes lying in the bowl of a sizeable fertile valley where nature has combined with history to form one of the most singular areas in the Madrid Region. In fact, the tour through the Lozoya River Valley, the source of Madrid’s drinking water for the last 150 years, commences at the foot of the valley, namely, at the village of Buitrago de Lozoya, on the Madrid–Burgos road. Probably Celtic in origin, the town reached
Gregorio Fernández’s moving carving of the recumbent Christ in the Holy Christ Hermitage Chapel 44
its zenith in the 15th century, when it paid allegiance to the Mendozas. Completing a visit to the walled Medieval Quarter, which includes the Clock Tower (Torre del Reloj), Church of Santa María del Castillo and Plaza de Armas -now transformed into a bullring- are the views to be had of the town and its moat-like river, as well as a somewhat unexpected Picasso Gallery, with sixty of the artist’s works collected by his friend Eugenio Arias, a native of these parts. Before continuing, it is well worth your while -time permitting- to make a side-trip from Buitrago to see the magnificent Montejo Beech Tree Grove in Montejo de la Sierra, and the upper reaches of the Jarama River, characterised by scenic mountain villages and reservoirs. Otherwise, the original itinerary goes, as planned, via Villavieja del Lozoya, San Mamés, a village with a splendid twentymetre high waterfall an hour’s walk away, Navarredonda and Gargantilla del Lozoya, to the intersection with the M-604. From Paular Monastery
the crossroads, the route then continues onwards to Rascafría, passing through Lozoya which, with its emblasoned houses and 16th-century church, lies alongside La Pinilla Dam. You pass Alameda del Valle and Oteruelo del Valle on the left and eventually come to the picturesque mountain village of Rascafría, a departure point for many outings in the area, thanks to its location at the foot of the region’s highest peaks: Mt. Peñalara –2,428 metres (just under 8,000 ft.)– and Mt. Cabezas del Hierro –2,383 metres (7818 ft.). From here, one can either continue up to the Navacerrada Pass or complete the circle by returning to Madrid via Miraflores and Canencia. A “must” before going back, however, is a visit to El Paular Monastery, founded by John I. Highlights include the Plateresque portal, 16th-century cloister, church door attributed to Juan Guas and high altar piece. Adjoining the monastery, Henry III’s handsome palace is now used as a hotel.
Leisure and entertainment Local cuisine For centuries, Madrid has been famed for its good food. The capital’s nouveau cuisine successfully manages to produce a menu that combines typically Madrid dishes with painstakingly prepared domestic and international recipes. Two of the local highlights are callos (tripe) and cocido madrileño (Madridstyle stew), a tasty stockpot of chickpeas and vegetables enriched with meat and sausage, which calls for a veritable rite when eaten. Other dishes, such as besugo al horno (baked seabream) or cod (bacalao) in its many guises, compete with T-bone and fillet steak (chuletones and solomillos) and the Castilian sopas de ajo (soups containing garlic, paprika, egg, bread, ham and sausage). A good way to get to know Madrid food is to visit some of the innumerable bars that line the city streets and outlying areas, and serve the famous snack-like servings (tapas) and small portions of selected foods (raciones). Indeed, “ir de tapeo”, stopping at different bars in search of their respective specialties, is an inveterate custom among Madrileños,
who are given to accompanying their food with generous amounts of beer or wine, be it local or from another region. Tortilla de patatas (Spanish omelette), sausage and pressed meats, pickles and all types of stews are served along with very traditional tapas, such as entresijos and gallinejas (fried lamb offal and tripe), oreja (pig’s ear) or the humble mushroom. Special mention must be made of the local sweets and desserts, which are often linked to different festivities during the year. A breakfast of churros and porras (fried pastries) can be had at any time of year, but at Christmas time turrón (a nougatlike sweetmeat) and mazapán (marzipan) reign supreme. During Easter week, torrijas (sweet fritters) and huesos de santo (“saint’s bones”, a marzipan-based pastry) are traditional fare. The Feast of San Isidro brings barquillos (wafers) and the doughnut-like rosquillas, while another favourite, preferably in winter, are the delicious buñuelos de viento (round cream-filled fritters).
Specialties made throughout the country’s rich gastronomic geography are easily come by. It is no coincidence that Madrileños claim to have the best fish and seafood, plus the choicest meat, in Spain. Indeed, some of the city’s best restaurants are Basque, Galician, Asturian or Andalusian.
ensures their continuity. Shops selling espadrilles, rope, hats and religious objects are located around the Plaza Mayor, where shopping still retains the flavour of old. The same can be said of Madrid’s street market par excellence, the Rastro, the popular Sunday morning openair flea-market (extending from Tirso de Molina, Cascorro and La Latina, as far down as Embajadores), where anything and everything is bought, sold and bartered at outdoor stalls and colourful local shops.
Here, it is only right to add that, along with the range of “domestic” food on offer, there has been an upsurge in the variety and quality of restaurants serving foreign cuisine –from Chinese to European, Latin American, and Arab.
Shopping
Madrid is also a good place to purchase art and antiques. The art galleries which tend to congregate in the Salamanca District, Calle Barquillo and the area around the Centro de Arte Reina Sofía are a true reflection of the worldwide importance of Spanish art, past and present. The modern “art supermarkets” provide an outlet for works by young and upcoming as well as better-established artists. In addition, a wide range of antiques can be found in the Salamanca District, Puerta de Toledo Market or any of the permanent shops in and around the Rastro. Coin- and stampcollecting have their “GHQ” in the Plaza Mayor, the scene every
Large department stores and megastores specialising in CDs, books and videos can be found in and around the Puerta del Sol, on Princesa and Goya Streets or along the Paseo de la Castellana, as well as in all the major shopping malls on the city outskirts. The most select fashion boutiques, jewellery, footwear, furniture and gift shops of all kinds are to be found in the Salamanca, Salesas and Chueca Districts. Keep your eyes peeled, and in the Old Quarter of Madrid it is still possible to come across numerous traditional shops which have managed to survive for years, or even centuries, and which still have a clientele that
47
Sunday of a market under the arcades. Over the course of the year, booklovers can look forward to a number of regular events in Madrid, such as the Book Fair in Retiro Park, at the end of May and early June, and the Old and 2nd-hand Book Fair on the Paseo de Recoletos, at the beginning of May. There are also large, specialised bookshops scattered throughout the city, together with the old and antique book dealers, whose shelves are stocked with genuine treasures for the collector.
Nightlife Going out at night is a way of life in a city that never sleeps, where the customs of night owls seem to merge seamlessly with those of early risers. Given that lunch in Madrid is eaten late in the day (usually at about 2:30 p.m.), it follows that dinner at a restaurant can often last until midnight, after which the city’s innumerable attractions lie waiting to be enjoyed, with many night spots remaining open till well into the small hours.
Outdoor café on Paseo de Recoletos
Apart from cinemas, clubs and shows of every hue and colour, Madrid nightlife tends to be a thing of bares de copas, which tend to congregate in a few specific areas. The pedestrian precinct from Huertas Street to Plaza de Santa Ana, is one of the liveliest of these “strips”. The same can be said of the Alonso Martínez, Bilbao and Plaza de Santa Bárbara area, which practically merges with that of Malasaña, in the streets leading off from Plaza del Dos de Mayo. Moncloa and Argüelles are frequented by a somewhat younger, university crowd. The Castellana, Recoletos and Prado boulevards are likewise dotted with fashionable spots, which in the hot months multiply, thanks to the appearance of the popular outdoor terrazas which have become such a symbol of the Madrid summer season. At this time of year too, Paseo del Pintor Rosales turns into a parade of pavement cafés and marquees where only the sea breeze is missing; in its place, there is the cool fragrance wafting in from the Parque del Oeste.
Yet Madrid’s best night spectacle takes place in its streets. Except in the depth of winter, the prevailing good weather means that Madrileños can venture outdoors at the slightest opportunity, going from one bar to the next, between dinner and a concert, or between dates at some fashionable nightspot.
The Region’s festivities, centred on 2nd May, are a foretaste of the outdoor dances and spectacles to come on 15th May, the feast day of Madrid’s patron saint, San Isidro. An outdoor pilgrimage (romería) sees thousands of people gathering at St. Isidore’s Hermitage Chapel and meadow, as well as the holding of the world’s most important bullfight festival. Organ grinders, sugary “rosquillas”, and typically dressed chulos and manolas make for a colourful fiesta with a deeply traditional atmosphere.
In such cases, there is a wide and varied range of music on offer, whether recorded -with different venues specializing in different styles- or live -with rock clubs, singer-songwriters and jazz.
On St. Anthony’s day, 13th June, at the Hermitage Chapel of San Antonio de la Florida down by the Manzanares riverside, marriageable young girls seeking suitors continue the seamstresses’ tradition of depositing thirteen pins in the baptismal font in the hope of finding favour with the saint.
Festivities Christmas time in Madrid has a special flavour, with the typical Christmas market in the Plaza Mayor, the New Year’s Eve celebration in the Puerta del Sol and all the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping. At this time of year, the fairy-tale decorations transform the city into a fantastic light show. The traditional procession of the Three Magi (Cabalgata de Reyes) takes place on 6th January.
August is the month when traditional castizo Madrid takes to the streets for the festivities of St. Cayetano, St. Lawrence and the Virgin of La Paloma, with processions, open-air dances and pavement cafés open until late into the night.
With each passing year the Madrid Carnival has grown in terms of participants and onlookers to the point where it has become a very popular celebration, outstanding for the imaginativeness of the costumes and the sheer number of scheduled events.
Other long-standing festivals are held in the Madrid Region, such as the Chinchón Passion Play, the Romería de la Virgen de Gracia in San Lorenzo
49
de El Escorial, and the historic Aranjuez mutiny (motín).
February, is an international barometer of trends in contemporary art; and enjoying the same standing in its particular field is SIMO TCI, the International Computer, Multimedia and Communications Fair held in November. Yet the range is enormous, spanning over 70 fairs from almost all sectors of the economic and social fabric of western society. The Madrid Trade Fair Board (Institución Ferial de Madrid - IFEMA) is in charge of scheduling and coordinating all the various trade fairs. Juan Carlos I Park, adjoining the showgrounds, is itself worth exploring.
Trade Fairs Madrid’s status as the capital of Spain has made it the traditional venue for national and international trade fairs and conventions, with an intense year-round schedule. The Juan Carlos I Showgrounds (Parque Ferial) cover an area marked by trade-fair pavilions, modern office buildings and the Municipal Convention Centre, plus two hotels and a large park. Being strategically located and well connected by Underground, the showgrounds are easily and readily accessible from Barajas International Airport and the major train junction of Chamartín Railway Station. In the Casa de Campo, a handful of regional restaurants and pavilions are a reminder that this once served as the showground site. Indeed, certain trade fairs are still held here.
PARQUE FERIAL JUAN CARLOS I (IFEMA) Metro: Campo de las Naciones. www.ifema.es
Sports Madrid is a city that hosts important sports events, particularly in the case of football. Every weekend, Madrid’s three most famous soccer stadiums _-the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium (home of nine-time European Champions, Real Madrid), the Vicente Calderón Stadium (where Atlético de Madrid is based), and the Teresa Rivera Stadium (Rayo Vallecano’s home ground)- are the scene of important matches watched by thousands of fans.
The International Tourism Fair (Feria Internacional del Turismo FITUR), held early in the year, is one of the best showcases of world tourism. ARCO, held in Juan Carlos I Showgrounds
50
Similarly, the Madrid Popular and San Silvestre Vallecana Marathons are races with a big following. The same can be said about the final stage of each edition of the Tour of Spain Cycle Race. The region has close on one hundred outdoor sports facilities, over a hundred tennis clubs and a score or more of golf courses, in addition to any number of municipal sports centres. There are also major skiing facilities: less than an hour’s drive away are the ski resorts of Valdesquí –at Cotos, with 22 kilometres of ski runs– and Navacerrada, at the Navacerrada Pass, with 10 kilometres of pistes.
Theme and other parks Completing its leisure and entertainment facilities, Madrid boasts: three aquatic parks, i.e., Aquasur, Aquamadrid and Aquópolis; a Zoo Aquarium, which is one of the world’s foremost zoos, in terms not only of the number of different species and animals, but also of its constant work in the fields of research, conservation,
Golf course
reproduction and education; an animal safari park (Safari Madrid); and the Fun Fair (Parque de Atracciones), with more than forty rides catering to all tastes and concerts in summer. Faunia is a biological nature park, where fauna and flora combine with the very latest, environment-friendly technology to create different natural ecosystems. Warner Bros. Movie World, one of the most spectacular theme parks in the world and the largest in Europe, reproduces the fantasy world of Warner Brothers films with a series of attractions spread over a 250-hectare plot, located near the town of San Martín de la Vega and easily accessible by road or rail.
PARQUES REUNIDOS Fun fair (Parque de Atracciones), Zoo Aquarium, Aquópolis, etc. www.parquesreunidos.com FAUNIA (Madrid Biological Park) www.faunia.es MOVIE WORLD. WARNER BROS www.warnerbrospark.com
Three World Heritage Cities an hour from Madrid Lying approximately one hour from Madrid by road or rail, Avila and Segovia in the Castile & León Region, and Toledo in the Castile-La Mancha Region, are a trio of world-famous historical and artistic gems, officially accorded World Heritage City status by UNESCO.
AVILA Ringed by its town walls, Avila’s striking medieval beauty comes as a surprise. From its possible beginnings as a Celtic castro (fortified encampment), the former Roman city of Avila had become an impregnable stronghold by the time of the Reconquest. The Cathedral, which was begun in the 12th century and whose apse (known as the Cimorro by the townsfolk)
City walls. Avila
forms an integral part of the defensive structure of the walls, houses an authentic treasure trove. Outstanding features include the high altar piece, with works by Pedro Berruguete, the ambulatory by Fruchel, the richly-carved retrochoir, the tomb of Alonso Fernández de Madrigal, “El Tostado” by Vasco de la Zarza, and the Cathedral Museum. Outside the wall’s nine gates –some of which, such as the
Alcázar. Segovia
Alcázar and San Vicente Gates, are veritable masterpieces– stand the Romanesque Churches of St. Vincent (San Vicente), St. Peter (San Pedro), St. Stephen (San Esteban) and St. Andrew (San Andrés). Accompanying them is the impressive Monastery of St. Thomas, perpetual reminder of the Catholic monarchs and the premature death of their son and heir, Prince Juan, whose tomb is here. While the Velada, Verdugo, Serrano, Águila mansionhouses and the Guzman Tower (torreón) eloquently attest to the earthly power of the city in the 15th and 16th centuries, millions of pilgrims from around the world flock to the Monastery of the Incarnation and the Convents of San José and La Santa to follow in the footsteps of St. Teresa and St. John of the Cross.
SEGOVIA Presided over by its Roman aqueduct, the city’s immediately recognisable landmark, Segovia can also lay claim to other unique sights, such as: its Gothic Cathedral, built over the old cathedral that was burnt to the ground in retaliation for giving safe haven to the Comunero insurgents; and its Alcázar, majestically perched atop the Rivers Eresma and Clamores, a royal residence since the 13th century which, despite its incomparable location, has always been used more as a palace than as a defensive redoubt. Seemingly made for walking and famed for its excellent food, Segovia also possesses a good 53
number of stately houses and prize churches, such as those of St. Andrew, St. Martin, the Knights of St. John (San Juan de los Caballeros) and the splendid Romanesque Church of St. Stephen, with its bell tower and atrium, used for church services. The Plaza Mayor is a lively meeting place, around which it is easy to lose oneself meandering along lanes and alleys of another age.
Tornerías Mosques, whilst the mark left by the Jews is still visible in the Jewish Quarter and Tránsito and Santa María la Blanca synagogues.
City view of Toledo
Close by, nestling in the neighbouring Guadarrama Mountains, is La Granja Palace, where Philip V was intent on establishing his own Versaillestype court. The palace, begun by Ardemans and completed by Sachetti and others, is only rivalled by its lovely park and gardens, whose fountains provide a constant spectacle.
TOLEDO In the middle ages, Toledo was the model par excellence of coexistence of the three great cultures, namely, Christianity, Islam and Judaism. Its towers, walls and gates such as the Puerta de Bisagra, are evidence of a warlike city, which also enjoys the privilege of being the site of Spain’s Primatial Cathedral. This, one of the most stunning Gothic cathedrals in the country, was begun in the 13th century by Ferdinand III (Fernando III el Santo), over the remains of what had once been the great mosque of the Moors. San Juan de los Reyes, a spectacular monastery commissioned by the Catholic Monarchs, and the Holy Cross Museum (Santa Cruz), housed in the old 15th-century hospital of
Roman aqueduct. Segovia
54
the same name, together provide a magnificent sample of the cultural wealth of Christian Toledo. Moorish influence can be traced to the Bab al Mardum and Toledo Cathedral
Convents and palaces, as well as the Tavera Hospital, the El Greco House-Museum and the artist’s powerful rendering of “El entierro del Conde de Orgaz” (Burial of the Count of Orgaz) in St. Thomas’ Church (Santo Tomé), and the Alcázar, where the Army Museum recalls the defence of this position during the Spanish Civil War, make Toledo and its monumental sights an absolute “must”.
USEFUL INFORMATION International Dialling Code % 34
TURESPAÑA TOURIST INFORMATION www.spain.info
TOURIST INFORMATION OFFICES MADRID CITY % 902 100 007 - 915 881 636 www.turismomadrid.es www.munimadrid.es Plaza Mayor, 3 Duque de Medinaceli, 2 Chamartín Railway Station - Central Concourse, Gates 14-16 Atocha Railway Station - Commuter Station Concourse (Cercanías) Barajas Airport - Terminal T1 / T4 MADRID REGION www.madrid.org Alcalá de Henares Callejón de Santa María % 918 892 694
Plaza de los Santos Niños % 918 810 634 Aranjuez Plaza de San Antonio, 9 % 918 910 427 Chinchón Plaza Mayor, 6 % 918 935 323 San Lorenzo de El Escorial Grimaldi, 2 % 918 905 313 Ávila Plaza de la Catedral, 4 % 920 211 387 Segovia Plaza Mayor, 10 % 921 460 334 Toledo Puerta de Bisagra % 925 220 843 % 928 862 300
TOURIST PARADORS (State-run hotels) Ávila Parador Marqués Canales de Chozas, 2 % 920 211 340 ) 920 226 166 Segovia Parador Carretera de Valladolid % 921 443 737 ) 921 437 362 Toledo Parador Cerro del Emperador % 925 221 850 ) 925 225 166
Central booking office Requena, 3 - 28013 Madrid % 902 549 979 ) 902 525 432 www.parador.es Chinchón Parador Calle de los Huertos, 1 % 918 940 836 ) 918 940 908 Alcalá de Henares Hostería Colegios, 3 % 918 880 330 ) 918 880 527
USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS Municipal Information Service % 010 Regional Information Service % 012 Post % 902 197 197 www.correos.es
Emergencies % 112 Hospital emergencies % 061 Civil Guard (Guardia Civil) % 062 National Police % 091 Municipal Police % 092
TRANSPORT In-city transport: there is a reduced-rate ticket. This is the “Bono Metro-Bus”, valid for ten trips on both bus and underground. It can be purchased at all Underground stations, official tobacconist shops (estancos) and municipal transport booths (Empresa Municipal de Transportes –EMT). There
is also a combined museum-andtransport ticket (kindly consult : www.madridcard.com ADIF Information and telephone bookings % 902 432 343 Internacional information % 902 243 202 www.adif.es
AENA (Airport) Information Office % 902 404 704 www.aena.es
Road & Highway Information % 900 123 505 www.dgt.es
SPANISH TOURIST INFORMATION OFFICES ABROAD CANADA. Toronto Tourist Office of Spain 2 Bloor Street West Suite 3402 TORONTO, Ontario M4W 3E2 % 1416/ 961 31 31 ) 1416/ 961 19 92 www.spain.info/ca e-mail: toronto@tourspain.es JAPAN. Tokyo Tourist Office of Spain Daini Toranomon Denki Bldg.6F 3-1-10 Toranomon. Minato-Ku TOKIO-105-0001 % 813/ 34 32 61 42 ) 813/ 34 32 61 44 www.spain.info/jp e-mail: tokio@tourspain.es CHINA. Pekín Spanish Embassy – Tourism Section Tayuan Office Building 2-12-2 Liangmale Nanlu, 14 - 100600 BEIJING % 8610/ 65 32 93 06 ) 8610/ 65 32 93 05 e-mail: pekin@tourspain.es REPUBLIC OF IRELAND. Dublin Spanish Tourist Office 1, 2, 3 Westmoreland Street - Dublin 2 % 353 1 653 0200 ) 353 1 653 0205 e-mail: dublin@tourspain.es RUSSIA. Moscow Spanish Tourist Office Tverskaya -16/2, 6º MOSCOW 103009 % 74 95 / 935 83 99 ) 74 95 / 935 83 96 www.spain.info/ru e-mail: moscu@tourspain.es SINGAPORE. Singapore SPANISH TOURIST OFFICE 541 Orchard Road Liat Tower # 09-04 238881 SINGAPORE % 65 / 67 37 30 08 ) 65 / 67 37 31 73
www.spain.info e-mail: singapore@tourspain.es UNITED KINGDOM. London Spanish Tourist Office 2nd floor, 79 New Cavendish Street London W1A 6XB % 44207/ 317 20 10 ) 44207/ 317 20 48 www.spain.info/uk e-mail: londres@tourspain.es UNITED STATES OF AMERICA www.spain.info/us Los Angeles Tourist Office of Spain 8383 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 960 BEVERLY HILLS, CAL 90211 % 1323/ 658 71 95 ) 1323/ 658 10 61 e-mail: losangeles@tourspain.es Chicago Tourist Office of Spain Water Tower Place, suite 915 East 845, North Michigan Avenue CHICAGO, ILL 60/611 % 1312/ 642 19 92 ) 1312/ 642 98 17 e-mail: chicago@tourspain.es Miami Tourist Office of Spain 1395 Brickell AvenueMIAMI, Florida 33131 % 1305/ 358 19 92 ) 1305/ 358 82 23 e-mail: miami@tourspain.es Nueva York Tourist Office of Spain 666 Fifth Avenue 35th floor NEW YORK, N.Y. 10103 % 1212/ 265 88 22 ) 1212/ 265 88 64 e-mail: nuevayork@tourspain.es
EMBASSIES IN MADRID Canada Núñez de Balboa, 35 3º % 914 233 250 ) 914 233 251 Japan Serrano, 109 % 915 907 600 ) 915 901 321 Republic of Ireland Claudio Coello, 73 % 915 763 500 ) 914 351 677
Russia Velázquez, 155 % 915 622 264 ) 915 629 712 United Kingdom Fernando El Santo, 16 % 913 190 200 ) 913 081 033 United States of America Serrano, 75 % 915 872 200 ) 915 872 303
BURGOS 142 km
Sepúlveda
Olmedo
Cantalejo Cerezo de Abajo
Ce
Navalmanzano
Nava de la Asunción
ga
601
V
I
a
O
A
d
a
A 403
L
A
Rí o
Ta j
T
S
Barraco
I
Embalse de San Juan
S
El Tiemblo
Burgohondo 1955
Rozas de Puerto Real
Brunete
Mejorada
Alcorcón Villaviciosa de Odón Leganés Móstoles
Chapinería Pelayos de la Presa Aldea del Fresno
MADRID del Campo
Loeches
R-3
Arganda del Rey
Getafe
R-5
Pastrana
Nuevo Baztán Villar del Olmo
Río
Gu
ad
arr am
a
Sotillo de la Adrada
Fuensalida
Talavera de la Reina
O
L
Torrijos
El Carpio de Tajo
E
D
403
Añover de Tajo
Bargas
Castillejo
Aranjuez Ocaña
N
400
Villatobas R
TOLEDO
Yepes
ío
AP-36 301
r
do
go
401
Polán
Tarancón Villarrubia de Santiago
400
La Puebla de Montalbán Embalse de Castrejón
R-4
AP-41
O
Al
San Bartolomé Alcaudete de las Abiertas de la Jara
T
CU E N C A
de Oreja
RÍO
A-42
A-40
Layos
Almonacid de Toledo
La Guardia
SEVILLA 459 km
0
10
20
30 Km
CARTOGRAFÍA: GCAR, S.L. Cardenal Silíceo, 35 Tel. 914 167 341 - 28002 MADRID - AÑO 2005 cartografiagcar@infonegocio.com
ALBACETE 151 km
VALENCIA 271 km
BADAJOZ 285 km
de Cazalegas
1180
O
J TA
CUENCA 80 km
403 Orusco Fuenlabrada Cadalso de Navalcarnero Perales Pinto San Martín los Vidrios Villa del Prado de Tajuña e de la Vega h Cenicientos Griñón Parla rc Méntrida Almorox be Villarejo de Morata Al Valmojado Batres Salvanés de Tajuña Valdemoro Escalona A-5 El Real de A-3 Ciempozuelos Illescas San Vicente Chinchón o Rí Esquivias Fuentidueña Santa Cruz Villaconejos Camarena A-4 del Retamar Colmenar de Tajo Embalse Maqueda
Buendía Mondéjar
VALENCIA 121 km
Piedralaves
San Martín de Valdeiglesias
de Ardoz Henares
Boadilla del Monte
Navas del Rey
CUENCA 86 km
E
a
I
uñ
V
R
GUADALAJA R A
Valdihuela 1531
ÁVILA
T
Hen ares
Voltoya
Adaja
SALAMANCA 97 km
Hernansancho
de El Atazar
Cervera de Buitrago Lozoyuela Monasterio de El Berrueco El Paular La Cabrera VALDESQUI 110 Fuentelahiguera Bustarviejo 603 de Albatages N Torrelaguna Miraflores PARQUE NATURAL de la Sierra Cabanillas CUMBRE,CIRCO Y AP-61 Navalafuente LAGUNA DE PEÑALARA Embalse de E Navacerrada Villacastín Pedrezuela Soto Yunquera 1860 Manzanares El Molar del Real Brihuega de Henares el Real AP-6 C NAVACERRADA A -1 San Agustín Torija Cercedilla de Guadalix 320 El Espinar Alto del León Navacerrada Colmenar 1511 Fuente el Saz Guadarrama Viejo San Lorenzo de Jarama A GUADALAJARA 607 de El Escorial Valdeolmos Collado A-2 Peguerinos San Sebastián Algete Villalba M Cobeña Daganzo Azuqueca El Escorial Galapagar A-6 El Pardo de los Reyes de Arriba R-2 de Henares 320 Embalse de Las Matas Alcobendas Ajalvir Valmayor Las Rozas Robledo de Chavela Valdemorillo Sacedón Majadahonda Valdemaqueda Villanueva de la Cañada Torrejón Alcalá de Cebreros Pozuelo de Alarcón
San Ildefonso o la Granja
AP-51 PLASENCIA 156 km
ra er Lozoya S i Rascafría
SEGOVIA
ZARAGOZA 234 km
Río
Río
Navafría 1760
Adanero
Colmenar de la Sierra Horcajo de Montejo de la Sierra u la Sierra Buitrago G Gargantilla e del Lozoya del Lozoya Valdesotos d Embalse
L
a sm
Santa María la Real de Nieva
Somosierra La Acebeda
m
G
Majaelrayo
LA PINILLA
1404
ra
E
Ere
S
Somosierra
Pedraza
964
Arévalo
Lobo 2273
Turégano
Río
Río
A-6
Highway Dual carriageway National road “A” road “B” road Local road Railway Bullet train Parador Inn Shrine-Monastery Nature reserve Golf course Ski resort Marina Camping site Airport World Heritage Site
110
Navas de Oro
Ataquines
Á
Riaza
Río
ar
A CORUÑA 495 km
VALLADOLID 43 km
M-409
TOLEDO 71 km 40 2
M-45
CÁDIZ 663 km
Campamento Villa de Vallecas
M-40
M -4 5
LEGANÉS Villaverde
M a n z ana
M-
A-4 10 km
0
N
30 1
res
GETAFE
SAN MARTÍN DE LA VEGA 12 km
1 2 3 4 Km
Pradillo
Manuela Malasa a Parque Europa
MetroSur
Puerta del Sur 12 10
Hospital de Fuenlabrada
Loranca
Hospital de M stoles
M stoles Central
A-3
Universidad Rey Juan Carlos
Planetario
Alcorc n Central
Carabanchel
Parque Oeste
Vicálvaro
Tetu n Cuzco Estrecho Santiago Bernab u Alvarado
Mar de Cristal
Canillas
San Lorenzo
Barajas 8
Campo de las Naciones
4 Parque de Santa Mar a
Aeropuerto
Fuenlabrada Central
Juli n Besteiro
Parque de los Estado
2 Cuatro Caminos R os Rosas Alonso Cano Canal
Conservatorio
Alonso de Mendoza
Juan de la Cierva
El Casar
El Bercial Los Espartales
El Carrascal
Getafe Central
Casa del Reloj
Arroyo Culebro
Severo Ochoa
Legan s Central
San Nicasio
Metropolitano Guzm n 6 el Bueno
Francos Rodr guez
Valdezarza
Concha Espina
Enero 2005 Enero 2005
Metro
8 Nuevos Ministerios
CONSEJERÍA DE OBRAS PÚBLICAS, URBANISMO Y TRANSPORTES
Comunidad de Madrid
Arganda del Rey 9
Esperanza Arturo Soria Avda. de la Paz 5 Canillejas Cruz del Alfonso XIII Rep blica Rayo Prosperidad Argentina Gregorio Torre Arias Ciudad Universitaria Parque de las Avenidas Cartagena Mara n Barrio de la Suanzes Diego Islas Avda. de Am rica 3 Moncloa Concepci n Quevedo Iglesia de Le n Filipinas Ventas 2 Ciudad Lineal Rub n San Bernardo 7 Las Musas Bilbao Dar o N ez Pueblo Nuevo Ventura El Carmen Quintana de Balboa Rodr guez Arg elles 4 Lista Noviciado San Blas Ascao Col n Vel zquez Manuel Garc a Simancas Becerra Tribunal Plaza de Espa a Noblejas Serrano Alonso Goya OÕDonnell Gran V a Pr ncipe Pr ncipe P o R Chueca Mart nez Santo Callao Ibiza de Vergara Sevilla Domingo S inz de Baranda Retiro Puerta Tirso de Banco Lago del çngel Vinateros Molina de Espa a îpera R Alto de Ant n Mart n La Latina Sol Pavones Estrella Extremadura Vic lvaro Atocha Lavapi s Casa de Campo 5 Artilleros Bat n Lucero Puerta de Toledo Atocha Renfe Conde de Casal Embajadores Valdebernardo San Cipriano Acacias Laguna Colonia Jard n Men ndez Pir mides Campamento Palos de la Pelayo Puerta de Arganda Puente de Vallecas Marqu s de Vadillo Frontera Carpetana Urgel Pac fico Empalme Nueva Numancia Delicias Alto del Arenal Eugenia Portazgo Sierra de Cuatro Aluche de Montijo Oporto 6 M ndez Buenos Aires Rivas Urbanizaciones Guadalupe 11 Plaza El ptica Vientos Miguel Hern ndez çlvaro Carabanchel Vista Opa el Parque Rivas Vaciamadrid Villa de Vallecas Usera Alegre Legazpi 3 Lisboa Abrantes 1 Congosto La Poveda Joaqu n Vilumbrales Pan Bendito 11
Valdebernardo
Customer help desk
0
Pay car park at station
R-3
Free car park at station
Moratalaz
Madrid Barajas Airport
Parque de El Retiro
Intercity coach terminal
e Call
RENFE Spanish Rail train station
de
Duque de Pastrana P o XII 1 Plaza de Castilla Colombia
Nueva terminal Aeropuerto
RENFE commuter train station
A-2
Valdeacederas
M-11
Ramp access
lá Alca
10 Fuencarral
Fuencarral
Station with disabled access. Lift
Parque Juan Carlos I
Bego a Chamart n
R-2
Antonio Machado
Hortaleza
Ventilla
M-11 Recintos Feriales
9 Herrera Oria
1
A-
La Moraleja
Pe agrande
Vergara
7
M
Station with restricted opening times
M -3
M-110
Barrio del Pilar
de
60
M-
03
Lacoma Avda. Ilustraci n
40
M-
Príncipe
Castella na
Itinerary V
Underground interchange station with longer distance between lines
El Batán A-5
Vía
la
Mu rillo
-6
Pitis 7
30
SAN SEBASTIÁN A BURGOS 237 km DE LOS REYES
Underground interchange station
Parque del Oeste
de
40
A-1
A VALENCIA 352 km
0
M-
Paseo
M-
ALCOBENDAS
A A-3 34 km
M-
Bravo
Ciudad Universitaria
del
-5
de
M
Calle
00
Calle
Aravaca
M -5
Casa de Campo
de
Pº Re coletos
M
Pº St a. Mª de la Cabeza
03
Si ne sio
Monte de El Pardo
31
FUENLABRADA 1 km
Calle
3
-5
A-42
MADRID
M-
Río
40
A-6
A-4
M-
La Zarzuela
16
A BARCELONA 621 km
R-5
M-421 M42 5
LA CORUÑA 609 km
Oria n ra ació rre He Ilustr l a la ern d r Av. Ca de M-30 Av. ado Delg
M-6
A GUADALAJARA 51 km
M-508
A COLMENAR VIEJO 31 km Valdelatas
40
M-
M-411
60
Itinerary VI
0 M-3
Tourist information office Post Hospital Car park Police station Bus & Coach station Railway station Bullet train (Tren Alta Velocidad- AVE) Commuter train station Underground (Metro) station
El Pardo
n ra G
SYMBOLS USED
s
Itinerary IV re
Thyssen-Bornemisza Museun Parliament Madrid Atheneum Lope de Vega House-Museum Church and Convent of the Trinitarians Church of Jesus of Medinaceli Neptune Fountain Royal Academy of the Spanish Language Church of San Jerónimo el Real Prado Museum Botanical Gardens Centro de Arte Reina Sofia National Museum Municipal Museum Romantic Museum Dos de Mayo Square Descubrimiento Gardens National Library National Archaeological Museum Americas Museum Segovia Bridge San Antonio de la Florida
Itinerary VII
na
26. St. Isidore’s 27. Church of St. Peter the Old (or Royal St. Peter’s) 28. Bishop’s Chapel 29. St. Isidore’s Museum 30. Church of St. Francis the Great 31. Toledo Gate 32. Toledo Bridge
Itinerary III
66. 67. 68. 69. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. Caballero de Gracia Oratorio Telefónica Building Plaza de España St. Mark’s Temple of Debod Cerralbo Museum Liria Palace Conde Duque Barracks
za
Royal Palace Plaza de Oriente Theatre Royal Opera House Royal Monastery of the Incarnation Senate House Palace of the Marquis of Grimaldi Convent of Las Reparadoras Plaza de Isabel II Descalzas Reales Monastery Church of San Ginés Puerta del Sol 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65.
Man
33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44.
Itinerary II Río
15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25.
45. Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando 46. Church of Las Calatravas 47. St. Joseph’s 48. Fine Arts Circle 49. Army General Headquarters 50. Bank of Spain 51. General Post Office 52. Americas House 53. Cibeles Fountain 54. Puerta de Alcalá 55. Casón del Buen Retiro 56. Crystal Palace 57. Velázquez Palace
M-50 8 km
12. 13. 14.
Itinerary I
BADAJOZ 401 km
6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.
Plaza Mayor San Miguel Market Cuchilleros Arch St. Michael’s Basilica Convent of Las Jerónimas del Corpus Christi Plaza de la Villa Lujanes Tower Cisneros House Casa de la Villa (City Hall) Abrantes Palace Duke of Uceda’s Palace (or Palacio de los Consejos) Convent of the Holy Sacrament Emir Mohamed I Park La Almudena Cathedral
A-5 31 km
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
A CORUÑA 609 km
Montesa
Alcántara
Calle
Peñalver
Porlier
Pardiñas
Díaz
CALLE PRÍNCIPE DE VERGARA
Balboa
Calle
de
General
Hermosilla
LÁ
CA
AL
Calle
Núñez
General
de
de
de
PASEO
Castelló
Lagasca Coello
SERRA NO
LA DE
VELÁZQUEZ
CAST
ELLAN A
Al m ag ro
so la l. Ca staño s
S. Anfrés
Ca lle
en Arg
na
ch a Lu
lle Ca
San Pab lo
C. Alta
SAN
Calle
Co nd e
DO
ue
Du q
rtir
Sa n M ig F ue lle er Ven na l nd tura a Ro Ca dríg lle uez Má Lu isa
Ev ar ist o
Ca lle
Cruz
Ayala
Conde
Maiquez
Calle
Calle
de
Calle
Calle
PRADO
Y
a
Ca lle
s
lle
Ca
Fo u
Ca
qu
lle
et
Jua
nd
e
nio Urbieta B
Av e
nid
a
gos
Ma
ME
NÉ
ND
EZ
PASEO
Ca l Ca le B lle ue n Ca Zu avis lle r t Sa ita a litr e
Re ye
María
Av e
Calle
a
o
Na rcis
las
Ca
lle
de
ST A.
rcio
me
Co
C.
s
Paseo
ún
ag
n
ro
eó
va
Ál
eL
ah
EO
Se rr
A
NID
DE
A
RÍ
MA
z
is d
Lu
oS
as
ore
jad
PA S
AV E
A
LA
Ca
Delicias
CA BE Z
rve t
Se
el
Mi
gu
a
An
TO L
ED
O
lle
CA
LL E
a
Palom
DO
DEL
tezo elato res C. R
Dr. Cor
CALLE
TOL E
de
y
én
M
Fra
n rdi
E
A-3
C.
rna
ba Em
illa
rg Va
Erc
de
CÁDIZ 663 Km
VALENCIA 352 Km
ncia
aro
Be
rtín
l
ure La
TOLEDO 71 Km
lle Ca
Vale
C.
Ma
lle Ca
lle
Ca
lle
Ca
lle
Ca
Olmos
l
ria Impe
CAL L
Lope
YO PELA
ra
nte
Mo
e
Call
BAILÉN
OV IA
SEG
ND A
RO
os
Mela ncó lic
Rueda
Calle
de
Calle
CALLE
PAS E
Calle
CALLE
S
OD ER ECO
de
Calle
Claudio
C. G ra
Ca lle
de
Call
e
Ca lle
Calle
LET O
lo
Barco
Valverde
Pa b
Calle
Co rre de ra
C al
le
CALLE
Ho rta lez a Pe lay o
a
er
ad
M
Ca
Puer to
del
Virgen
Linneo
los
ez
Paseo
nán Núñ
Calle
de Fer
de
s
p Am
de
es dor
de
Duque
lle
re Pa
baja
Paseo
R-3
Paseo
or
ls
69
d Ecua
Casa
LISTA la
de
del
Santo
LISTA
SALAMANCA
o
Pablo
MADRID
de
Pase
Calle
Calle
Gasset
Ca
del
Plaza de Colón
ALFONSO XII
le
l de
de
a
Ramón
Calle
Calle Moreto
l Ca
lle
Em
Errmita
Don
SERRANO
Calle Fucar
piés
ed
COLÓN
Echegaray
Lava
són
de
Curtidores
la
Calle
y Plaza Marqués de Salamanca
CALLE
Calle
C. Príncipe
Calle Carretas
Ca
Me
de
Paseo
de
VA
Plaza de la Villa de París
Barquillo
en
dos
cia
rm
Ca
lle Ca
lle
Ca
Ribera
zuela
n Arga
CO CIS
dinas
Paseo
NO
Calle
lle
a
s Pa
Humilladero
AN FR
úlv
lle Ca Plaza de San Ildefonso
Fuencarra l
PARQUE DE ATRACCIONES ZOO
GÉ
Ortega
a ad Ab
Pre
e la C. d
A-5
l Va
Ca de
ta
rie
Ar
S.
Se p
E
José
A-2
C. Alc Galianalá o
NÚÑEZ DE BALBOA
Calle
Calle
lle Ca
BADAJOZ 401 Km
Calle Orfilia
LL
a
n
Sa
Calle Fernando El Santo
CA
Plaza Santa Bárbara C .S ta .T er es lle
l de
z Pe
os o anit ent Leg Fom lle loj Ca Re
ÍA N V GRA
Calle Para
MANZANARES
Parque de la Cuña Verde de Latina
o
lle
Ca
Pase
Parque de Caramuel
Ma
Zurbarán
ALMAGRO
Plaza Alonso Martínez
21
RÍO
nguela
Dña. Bere
teo
TRIBUNAL
Calle
Ca
o
UNIVERSIDAD
lle Ca
za rria
A lle
Ca
a id or Fl
PUERTA DEL ÁNGEL
lle Ca
Marqués de Riscal
ZARAGOZA 325 Km
San to le
ro Calle Teso
Ba
ica er qu Le
in
C.
s
PUERTA DEL ÁNGEL
Paseo de a ur Extremad
Ferrer
ló rce
ía
rd
la
ina ar
M
n Ave
Palma
AST A
ej
la Vicente Espíritu
SAG
A-1
Caracas
ALONSO MARTÍNEZ
M
e
y Re
de
al
rtug
Po
de ida
r
Calle
na
ros
He
o se eto Pa nic A lle
Casa de Campo
Pasto
C. Velard
Larra
San Calle
rruca Chu
o
de
Calle
Amaniel
SA CE
er
Divin
LLE
Calle
CALLE GOYA GOYA GOYA JUSTICIA ta Brígida n a n C S Calle alle Belé DE ús Plaza de Palacio s e Farma de las Salesas de Justicia cia l C. J Avenida Felipe II Calle Fern PLAZA DE H. C lle Reyes and ESPAÑA Parque de orté o VI Jorge Ca s Calle Ca la Montaña San Plácido lle n E Gra Ca Piamonte Call Juan G LL Sa Calle e vin lle RA RECOLETOS a ja CA Ca Au Lu N Calle Calle Ba Almirante gus RECOLETOS lle Villanueva na CHUECA Du que to Ca Ca San Antonio de de Sesto Figueroa lle da PRÍNCIPE DE los Alemanes Calle Re rso Prim Call Calle Conde de Ara VERGARA co e nda let a DE v o l E s San VÍ E os Si O’DONNELL Ca Marcos NT SANTO A CALL sc D lle RETIRO PRÍNCIPE PÍO Call de Iglesia de esenga DOMINGO S CE e Olo alus ño Tu San Martín Calle VI zag tian Infa Glorieta de CALLAO o Jardines GRAN VÍA Calle a Plaza de CUESTA la SAN Calle ntas GRAN San Vicente Bo Doctor de Sabatini Santo Domingo Rein Castelo lle a Calle Plaza a ia Red de C V del Callao IBIZA v i Á Í C L l A Av o LCA San Luis aballero A . B Calle de de G Menorca o racia Mé se Calle Calle Jardines jico Plaza del Pa Valenzuela Puente BANCO DE Carmen DE ESPAÑA del Rey IBIZA Plaza de Calle Calle Montalbán las Descalzas de Ibiza Call Campo raÓPERA a e rg de los Madraz del Moro Museo Naval lle E e Ca L o V L Aren A . C C SEVILLA al Plaza de PALACIO Zorril SOL Bolsa JERÓNIMOS la Armería Calle Alcald la Sa Carrera Calle e Sainz de entina San Parque de nti Plaza Paseo de Arg Baranda Plaza de Calle Antonio Maura ag Jeró El Retiro o Herradores MAYOR nim la Lealtad SOL o Plaza de Antigua Casa ela ubre u ct uz z O e r CORTES de SanMiguel Ven C de Correos Doce o de E la Calle Pase CALL do de Calle Felipe IV Pra le l l Call e e d e Plaza de Ca Call Sac Palacio de Bolsa Santa Ana Parque de Atenas ram Calle Cervantes ent NIÑO Santa Cruz o Call de Segov e Calle n Jerónima JESÚS Calle epció ia c n Lope o de Vega C de C AL Ca Call las LE lle e Sa Huert Plaza de Jardines de Co nta zanares oj as leg Mar La Paja Bar Calle Man Pío iata Las Vistillas ía Samaría Calle Espalter Plaza ín at ja Plaza Tirso lla or Ca i M a lle Magdalena Antón Martín TIRSO d B a de Molina Calle de on DE MOLINA va a Alt Moreno Nieto d a C av Calle Cabeza ANTÓN Re a Plaza C e Alb guay MARTÍN Calle Gobern ue d l Uru Calle Calvario ador Humilladero Duq o de de Nazaret n Pase a Glorieta Calle S o e a s Plaza de LATINA A ll Fósforo d e A T lmadé c Sa del Ca ncisc ien C. Tres Pe n n I OC nvenida om ez Angel Caido Ru Cascorro Fra c ñ e i ú H n l da de N E C. San fon A rnán gel e Fe so Carlos Án Sa ue d lle nta Duq e o Ca Pizarra e s Call A n t o . Pa C. Claudio Moyano Sta ATOCHA C. LAVAPIÉS Isa EMBAJADORES Ca be Plaza del lle C. l RO Emperador Dr ND Co Poeta Calle Plaza de .P Esteban nd Carlos V A te as iga e ero V e ill Lavapiés P rn d C r e a g alle as o de AS re Calle C b d R e Argum om Calle E e Ca S l SE t o sa O le rta So GO u ge ib Plaza Mariano r r VIA l T to na e PUERTA oc I D de Cavia AV N D A. DEL TOLEDO F Mira e A A ll A a H IN MEDITER C N T o C IS N O in T R Calle s RÁNEO C A AT Ca Glorieta DA EINA IMPERIAL del Puerta de Toledo RO ISABEL O R lle RON rrabia NDA ATOCHA-RENFE PASE es Ca uente n A F I A o D lle VEN E T Ca NC nt EMBAJADORES IDA OLED Po ALE O A V Mármol CIU C. Calle D OND o A R los Ca Santa an Murcia Puerta de Atocha D Elc Glorieta sild Plaza DE MENÉNDEZ stián a de Embajadores Vizcaya Seba C. S Francisco BA PELAYO an de Puente de Morano P s RC de 0 100 200 300 400 500 m ia Isid PALOS ac lle Paseo as c EL a San Isidro o A C ro d eo ON eS DE MOGUER Do las evil A ATOCHA cto la e PALOS DE CARTOGRAFÍA: GCAR, S.L. Cardenal Silíceo, 35 r d de LA FRONTERA ACACIAS Vall Tel. 914167341 - 28002 MADRID - AÑO 2005 eo s la ejo Plaza Frontera Pas Palo Estadio Cal cartografiagcar@infonegocio.com le e Ortega y ACACIAS Áncora Call Vicente Calderón Munilla Nájera A-42 A-4
l de
Ca
a er ad Pr
nB
Calle
de
Noviciado
Sa
Glorieta C. Manue la Malasaña de Bilbao CA
C. Daoiz
NOVICIADO
lle
ZA
Calle
Calle Montserrat
BILBAO
RRAN
Calle
lle
Marc
de
de
IN PR
los
o se Pa
Ca
enado
Plaza de las Comendadoras Calle
Ca
Glorieta Ruiz Jiménez CA
BERNAR
lca lá
de A es
z
VENTURA RODRÍGUEZ
tor Tu
z rra Fe
lle
Cru
Calle
les
R
Ca
ta
c
an
Fr
ey
o isc
de
lle
Ca
A
San
LA
sa
r cto Ví
Ro
Ca
AGUILER
CIA GRA A EN ANT C. S
e
DE
lle
a
tan
in Qu
SAN BERNARDO
ias rrub Cova Calle ilvela el S anu eM Call ndo Ferna Calle Rojas de
LE
Call
fox Pala
L CA
en
Bu
Rosaleda
Plaza de San Antonio de la Florida
so
Plaza Conde Valle de Suchil
ALBERTO
ARGÜELLES
S
rtín Ma
r
o
éric
f Tele
CALLE
e uc
lle Ca
nto Pi
lle Ca
ens
rqu
l Ma
e C. d
l
mo
de
Ca
lle
eo
de
Parque de la Bombilla
e és d
Ca
s Pa
lle Ca
uijo Urq
BURGOS 237 Km
e Call
a
Alt
de
A-6
lle Ca
o se Pa
no
a mir