On the banks of the Manzanares River lies the city of Madrid. It is the capital of Spain, the cultural and political center of the country, which is home to about 3.5 million people. In Madrid, a huge number of monuments of past eras, near which modern buildings organically look.
The climate in the capital of Spain is excellent, almost all year round a clear sky and warm sun. It was here that princesses were brought for childbirth, since it was believed that the city had the most suitable climate in all of Europe.
An interesting fact is that in the city formally there is no main street. But a lot of old streets and a boulevard with unique attractions. And, of course, Madrid is a bullfight. Despite a lot of controversy in society regarding this event, the bullfight is still the cultural heritage of the Spaniards and is carried out to this day.
Arena Las Ventas
This is Madrid's most popular attraction. Located in one of the noisiest quarters of the city - Salamanca. Only the structure is more than 100 years old. Inside there is a spectator area and a field for fighting with bulls called "tendidos". According to visitors' reviews, it is best to choose sectors numbered 1, 2, 10, and 9, from there the best view of the arena opens, although the cost of tickets is slightly higher than in other sectors.
Bullfighting is a seasonal event starting in March and lasting until November. As a rule, the performance starts at 6 or 7 pm. Especially popular are the days on the feast of St. Isidore (May). In honor of the holy fights are held every day for 3 weeks.
Near the arena there is a small museum where they will tell about the history of bullfighting, mores and rules of the Spaniards and matadors. The exposition features busts of fighters, stuffed heads of bulls, pikes and costumes of matadors.
Royal Palace
This landmark of Madrid was previously the residence of the monarchs of Spain. The palace is located in the western part of the city, on the site where there was once a Moorish fortress. Construction was completed in 1764, when Charles III ruled the country.
The facade of the palace is unique, saturated with various architectural styles, from baroque to oriental style. The interior is decorated with works by great creators: Caravaggio, Velazquez and Goya. The palace exhibited a collection of Stradivarius violins and ancient weapons. The castle has a porcelain room, where the entire interior is made of porcelain. And in the Hall of Mirrors you can see dozens of your own mappings. The throne room is the most luxurious room, where there is a lot of gilding and velvet.
Today, the Royal Palace is open to visitors, only sometimes official ceremonies are held here.
Royal Botanic Garden of Madrid
In the heart of the capital of Spain is a quiet place where you can relax from the bustle of the city. The garden was opened in 1781, the then ruling monarch Charles III. In the center of the park is a monument to this ruler. The park is surrounded by a neoclassical fence.
The park area is divided into three parts:
- the upper level is represented by the pool;
- in the middle zone there is a greenhouse, where exhibitions are periodically held;
- on the lower level there is also a greenhouse, opened in the 90s of the last century.
The Royal Botanic Garden of Madrid is surrounded by other sights of the capital, these are Cibeles Square and Retiro Park.
Gran Via
This is the unofficial main street of the capital of Spain. They laid the street back in 1910. During the construction, about 300 buildings were demolished. On the same street there is a bronze model of Gran Via. Here is the building of the Telefonika enterprise, which at the beginning of the last century was considered a skyscraper throughout Europe. During the reign of the Republican Party, it was renamed "Russia Street", this was in the 30s of the last century. And a little later she was called Avenida de la Union Sovietica.
Plaza Mayor
This is one of the central squares of Madrid. The Habsburgs erected it. Around the square houses were built on three floors, whose balconies overlook the square.
The Plaza Mayor of Madrid has witnessed many events, from bullfights and football matches to executions. After many fires, the architect Juan de Villanueva gave the square a modern look. Reconstruction was carried out in 1790.
In the middle is a statue of Philip III, who appeared on the square in 1616. The oldest building located on the Plaza Mayor in Madrid is the bakery Casa de la Panaderia, which was built at the time of laying the first cobblestone on this street.
Cibeles Square
This square is loved by all residents and guests of the capital. In the center of the street is the famous Cibeles fountain. He appeared on the square in the XVIII century. This is a sculptural composition in the form of the goddess of fertility Cybele, who sits in a chariot drawn by two lions. For a long time, local residents used the fountain as a source of drinking water.
The square is framed by interesting buildings, one of the most beautiful is the Cibeles palace, which was erected in 1909, when the main post office worked in the building.
Locals call the building a "wedding cake", as it has many thin and elegant towers. Now the city hall is located here.
Another attraction of Madrid located in the square is the Bank of Spain, the building of which was built in 1884. The building is crowned with a huge glass dome.
And another amazing creation of human hands on Sibeles Square is Linares Palace. Once there was a prison, after the reconstruction in 1873, the banker Jose de Murga was housed in the palace.
In 1992, the building was completely restored, and it housed the Casa de America, where the gallery and the cultural center are located.
And, of course, the Buenavista Palace, which once belonged to the family of the Duke of Alba. The house is surrounded by lush gardens.
For opera lovers
Royal Theater in Madrid - Mecca for lovers of theater, opera and old architectural buildings. The first stone was laid back in 1818, the theater opened only in 1850.
The architectural style of the building is mixed, and the stage box is 1472 square meters. The scene consists of several moving platforms that allow for a complex change of scenery. The hall can accept from 1748 to 1854 visitors at a time.
The theater has 28 boxes, 8 prosceniums and royal boxes. For ordinary visitors, only one floor is reserved, it is called La Rotonda, which runs along the contour of the entire theater. The walls of the building are decorated with valuable works of art.
The theater provides guided tours where you can see not only public places, but also the backstage. Today it is one of the most important and popular theater stages in the country and Europe.
The main gate of the city
What is more remarkable about Madrid? Alcalá Gate, located in the central part of the city, near the Buen Retiro Park and Independence Square. The first time they were built back in 1598, in honor of the arrival of Queen Margherita of Austria to Spain. The gates had a central arch, on top of which a statue of the Mother of God flaunted, and adjacent small arches.
When King Charles III came to power, he decided to demolish the old, 200-year-old gate and build new ones. In 1769, construction began. It was already a more magnificent structure, the central arch became wider. The architect of the project was Francesco Sabatini. A new gate opened in 1778.
Now the gate has five spans. The construction was made of granite, three spans in the middle have semicircular arches, two lateral rectangular shapes. The facade of the building is decorated with pilasters and columns, there are images of lion heads and the head of 4 virtues. And on the central arch the name of the monarch is immortalized. The inscription looks like "King Charles III, 1778."
Puerta del Sol
According to reviews of Madrid, this is the most beautiful square of the city. It is located near the Gates of the Sun, which were once part of the city fortification erected in the 15th century. In the area are the Royal Palace and Plaza Mayor.
It is from this square that all the roads of Madrid are calculated. On this street is the equestrian statue of Charles III, the Post Office and the statue “The Bear and the Strawberry Tree”. The sculpture is made of bronze and stone; it was installed in 1966 on the site where the fountain used to be.
The statue with a bear and a strawberry tree is an identical copy of the image placed on the flag of the country.
Columbus Square
Naturally, it is hard to imagine Spain without this person. In the middle of the square are the Discovery of America gardens. At the edge of the square, one of the main attractions of Madrid is installed - a monument to the great discoverer of new lands. The sculpture was installed back in 1885. In the eastern part of the square are allegorical blocks symbolizing the accomplishments of Columbus. Also on the square is the Columbus Tower (1976).
Under the square itself is the Cultural Center of the capital of Spain, where there are several auditoriums and theaters, exhibitions.
Almuden Cathedral
Not far from the entrance to the city, on the south-west side, is the Almuden Cathedral. This is a striking example of the neo-Gothic style, founded in 1833. It was possible to finish construction work only in 1944. Although there is still no decoration inside, the cathedral was consecrated in 1992 by John Paul II.
Santiago Bernabeu Stadium
Most tour programs in Madrid include a visit to the stadium. It is located in the north of the city, in the Chamartin area. It was discovered back in 1947. Even in 2007, the stadium received a 5-star category, that is, it is still elite of its kind according to UEFA. The sports complex is designed for 86454 spectators. In the same 2007, the number of matches held in this arena exceeded 1 thousand.
Naturally, these are not the only interesting places in Madrid, but there is also something to see in the area.
The surroundings of the capital
There are many interesting places around the city. First of all, it is recommended to visit Alcalá de Henares. This is the oldest city in Spain, located 33 kilometers from Madrid. It was here, back in 1499, that the world famous University of Cardinal Kisnero was opened. It was in this city that the author of the work “Don Quixote” was born - Miguel Cervantes. The writer’s house is now open for visitors, entering which you can plunge into the historical life of that time. You can get to Alcalá de Henares by train from Atocha Station, from where trains leave in this direction every 10 minutes.
What to see on your own in Madrid and the surrounding area? It is recommended to visit the city of Aranjuez, which is only 47 kilometers from the capital. It is famous for the Royal Palace called Palacio Real, surrounded by beautiful gardens. There are also several palaces built in the period from the XV to the XVII century. You can get into the city by electric train from Atocha Station, departing in this direction every 30 minutes.
Manzanares el Real
The city is located at the foot of La Pedrica Mountain. These are the most beautiful places where many Madrid residents have summer residences. In the city, you should definitely walk along the embankment of the Manzanares river and, of course, see the main attraction of the village - the castle, built in the distant XV century.
Manzanares el Real can be reached by bus from Plaza de Castilla. The distance between the city and the capital is 47 kilometers.
Escorial
They go to this settlement to see the holy places. The complex was built during the reign of Philip II and includes a monastery, church and palace. The inlay of buildings was partially dealt with by Lucas Jordan.
The palace impresses with its magnificent view. The facade and the interior look solemnly, because the Habsburg family once lived here.
In the chapter are the creations of great artists: Velazquez, Titian and others. In the library of the complex there are about 40 thousand books, the oldest copies date back to the 9th century.
In addition to the temple complex, the city has a small palace, which was built by Carlos II.
Escorial is located 50 kilometers from Madrid. You can get to it by train, departing from Atocha Station.
vila
This is the highest province of the country, located at an altitude of 1128 meters above sea level. The main attraction of the city is a wall with a length of 2.5 thousand meters. It was built from the XI to the XIV century, is fully preserved to our times. crowned with 9 gates and 88 towers. You can get to the city by train from the same Atocha station and by bus.
Simply put, Spain can be called a museum country, with many architectural sights and memorials.