From Sol to Cibeles through Austrias

Puerta del Sol

Current square largely shaped: 1857-1862, during Queen Isabella II.
Medieval “Puerta del Sol” gate in the city wall: 15th century.
Bear and Strawberry Tree statue (“El Oso y el Madroño”) sculptor Antonio Navarro Santafé: 1967.
New Year’s grapes tradition began: 1909.

· Plaza de Isabel II / Opera

Underground fountain/water infrastructure Juan de Ribera Piferrer hydraulic works tradition linked to El Escorial.
Urbanization of the square: around 1835-1850 during Isabella II.

· Plaza de Oriente

Begun under Joseph Bonaparte, completed mainly under Ferdinand VII and Isabella II.
Main design: Narciso Pascual y Colomer.
Developed mainly between 1844-1850.
Equestrian statue of Philip IV: 1640, designed by Pietro Tacca with scientific calculations traditionally attributed to Galileo.

· Cerca de Felipe II / Cerca de Felipe III

Cerca de Felipe II: c. 1566.
Expanded and replaced by Cerca de Felipe III: 1625.
Function: fiscal control and urban boundary.

· Plaza de España

Current urbanization: 1950s.
Recent renovation completed: 2021 (~70 million euros).
Edificio España: 1948-1953.
Torre de Madrid: 1954-1957.
Cervantes Monument: inaugurated 1929 (Architects: Rafael Martínez Zapatero & Pedro Muguruza; sculptures by Lorenzo Coullaut Valera).

· Temple of Debod

Original construction: 2nd century BC.
Dedicated mainly to Amun and Isis
Gifted to Spain in 1968 after Spain helped save Nubian temples threatened by the Aswan High Dam / Abu Simbel project.
Rebuilt in Madrid and opened in 1972.

· National Temple of Saint Teresa of Jesus

Construction began: 1916.
Neo-Gothic / Neo-medieval style.

· Sabatini Gardens

Built: 1930s, opened 1978.
Architect: Fernando García Mercadal.

· Royal Palace

Old Alcázar destroyed by fire: 1734.
Current palace construction: 1738-1755 (main structure).

· Cathedral of Santa María la Real de la Almudena

Construction begun: 1883.
Consecrated: 1993.

· Arab Wall of Madrid

Foundation of Madrid: late 9th century (~860s-880s).
City and wall built under Emir Muhammad I of Córdoba.
Alfonso VI entered Madrid: 1085.
Legend of the Virgin of Almudena apparition linked to this conquest.

· Church of Santa María de la Almudena (original parish)

Medieval church rebuilt mainly in the 15th-16th centuries.
Demolished in 1868 during the revolutionary period (“La Gloriosa- Isabel II”).

· Church of San Nicolás de los Servitas

12th-13th century origins.

· Plaza de la Villa

Casa y Torre de los Lujanes: late 15th century (15th c.)
Casa de Cisneros: 1537 (16th c.)
Casa de la Villa: 1645-1692 (17th c.)

· Convent / Church of Corpus Christi

Founded: 1607.

· Plaza Mayor

built: 1617-1619 by Juan Gómez de Mora.
Central equestrian statue represents King Philip III.

· Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Palacio de Santa Cruz)

Original use: prison and courthouse.
Built: 1629-1643.
Architect: Juan Gómez de Mora.

· Church of Santa Cruz

Current church built: 1889-1902.

· Plaza de Santa Ana

Teatro Español originally: Corral del Príncipe.
Founded: 1583.
Current theater building largely from 1802 onward (after fire), neoclassical style.
Hotel Reina Victoria: 1916-1928.
Bullfighter Dominguín stayed in Room 220.
Hemingway associated Madrid experiences here with The Sun Also Rises and later writings on Spain.

· Convent of Las Trinitarias Descalzas (1606)

· CaixaForum

Original power station: 1899.
Current Herzog & de Meuron remodeling: 2008.

· Prado Museum

Designed: 1785 by Juan de Villanueva.
Original use: Natural Sciences Cabinet.

· Moneo Cube / Prado extension

Extension completed: 2007.

· Church of San Jerónimo el Real

Built mainly late 15th-early 16th century.
Includes restored 17th-century cloister integrated into the Prado extension.
King Alfonso XIII married Victoria Eugenie here in 1906.

· Madrid Stock Exchange (1893)

· Monument to the Fallen for Spain (Plaza de la Lealtad)

Originally inaugurated: 1840.
Honors those killed in the May 2nd 1808 uprising against Napoleon.
Eternal flame and ceremonial urn added in modern commemorative reforms.

· Plaza de Cibeles

Developed mainly late 18th century under Charles III.
Fountain of Cibeles: 1782.
Casa de América (Palacio de Linares): 1877-1900.
Bank of Spain building: begun 1884.
Palacio de Cibeles / Communications Palace: 1907-1919.

· Barrio de Salamanca

Main urban development: second half of the 19th century.

· El Retiro Park

Originally created in the 1630s under Philip IV as part of the Buen Retiro royal palace complex.
Present public park configuration mainly dates from the (18th) 19th century after becoming public property.

· Great Pond Monument (Monument to Alfonso XII, Retiro Park)

Built: 1902-1922.
Architect: José Grases Riera.
Equestrian statue represents King Alfonso XII.

From Debod to Cibeles through Malasaña & Chueca

· Temple of Debod

Original construction: 2nd century BC.
Dedicated mainly to Amun and Isis
Gifted to Spain in 1968 after Spain helped save Nubian temples threatened by the Aswan High Dam / Abu Simbel project.
Rebuilt in Madrid and opened in 1972.

· Plaza de España

Current urbanization: 1950s.
Recent renovation completed: 2021 (~70 million euros).
Edificio España: 1948-1953.
Torre de Madrid: 1954-1957.
Cervantes Monument: inaugurated 1929 (Architects: Rafael Martínez Zapatero & Pedro Muguruza; sculptures by Lorenzo Coullaut Valera).

Conde Duque Barracks (Cuartel del Conde Duque)

Built: 1717–1730
Architect: Pedro de Ribera
Style: Spanish Baroque
Original use: Royal Guards barracks and military headquarters under King Philip V
Rehabilitation: 2001–2011
Rehabilitation architect: Carlos Rubio Carvajal (principal intervention and cultural adaptation phases)

Convent of Las Comendadoras de Santiago

Official name: Convent of the Commandresses of Santiago
Built: 1667–1690
Style: Madrid Baroque
Founded for female members of the Military Order of Santiago

Plaza del Dos de Mayo

Historical event commemorated: Uprising of 2 May 1808 against Napoleon’s occupation
Monument: Arch from the former Monteleón Barracks
Goya painting: The Second of May 1808 (The Charge of the Mamelukes)
Companion painting: The Third of May 1808

Museum of Madrid (Museo de Historia de Madrid)

Building constructed: 1673–1679
Architect: Pedro de Ribera
Original use: Royal Hospice (Real Hospicio de San Fernando)
Museum since: 1929

Barceló Market (Mercado de Barceló)

Original market: 1956
Current market: 2014
Architects (new building): Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos

Church of San Antón

Current church built: 1742
Architect: Pedro de Ribera
Style: Late Madrid Baroque

Mercado de San Antón

Original market: 1945
Demolished: 2007
Current market opened: 2011
Architects: Carlos de Riaño Lozano & associates

From Cibeles to Matadero through museums

Palacio de Cibeles (Former Communications Palace)

Built: 1907–1919
Style: Eclectic / Modernista with Neo-Plateresque influences
Original use: Headquarters of the Spanish Postal and Telegraph Service
Current use: Madrid City Hall (since 2007)

Instituto Cervantes (Former Banco Español del Río de la Plata)

Built: 1910–1918
Architect: Antonio Palacios
Style: Monumental Eclecticism with Beaux-Arts influences
Original use: Banco Español del Río de la Plata
Current use: Headquarters of the Instituto Cervantes

Círculo de Bellas Artes

Built: 1921–1926
Architect: Antonio Palacios
Style: Eclectic Monumentalism / Early Modernism
Founded: 1880
One of Europe’s most important private cultural institutions
Rooftop terrace offers one of Madrid’s most famous panoramic views

Church of San Jerónimo el Real

Built mainly: late 15th–early 16th century
Commissioned by: Catholic Monarchs (Isabella I and Ferdinand II)
Style: Isabelline Gothic
King Alfonso XIII married Victoria Eugenie here in 1906
Includes restored 17th-century cloister integrated into the Prado extension

Moneo Cube / Prado Extension

Completed: 2007
Architect: Rafael Moneo
Purpose: Expansion of the Prado Museum
Includes the restored cloister of San Jerónimo el Real

Prado Museum

Designed: 1785
Architect: Juan de Villanueva
Commissioned by: Charles III
Original use: Natural Sciences Cabinet
Museum inaugurated: 1819
Considered one of the world’s leading collections of European painting

CaixaForum Madrid

Original power station: 1899
Remodeling: 2001–2008
Vertical Garden (2008): Designed by French botanist Patrick Blanc, pioneer of the Mur Végétal (vertical garden) system. Approximately 15,000 plants from 250 species.

Reina Sofía Museum

Original building (General Hospital): 1757–1788
Architects: José de Hermosilla and Francesco Sabatini
Museum established: 1990
Spain’s national museum of modern and contemporary art
Home of Picasso’s Guernica

Jean Nouvel Extension (Reina Sofía)

Completed: 2005
Architect: Jean Nouvel
Includes exhibition spaces, library, auditorium and public plaza
Distinctive red cantilevered roof

Matadero Madrid

Original construction: 1911–1925
Architect: Luis Bellido González
Original use: Municipal slaughterhouse and livestock market
Closed as slaughterhouse: 1996
Cultural center opened progressively from 2007 onwards

Intermediae Matadero

Established: 2007 by Fracisco Franco
Dedicated to experimental contemporary art, public participation and social innovation projects

Casa del Lector

Opened: 2012
Located within Matadero Madrid
Architecture and adaptation: Estudio Entresitio
Dedicated to reading, literature, publishing and digital culture
One of the most important reading and literary culture centers in Spain

Madrid Río

Urban regeneration project: 2003–2011
Associated with the undergrounding of the M-30 ring road along the Manzanares River
Lead urban planning team: West 8 (Netherlands), Mrio Arquitectos, Ginés Garrido and collaborators
Length: approximately 10 km
One of Europe’s largest urban river restoration projects