The Real Monasterio de la Encarnación (Royal Monastery of the Incarnation) is a convent of the order of Recollet Augustines located in Madrid, Spain. The institution mainly interned women from noble families, and was founded by the Queen Margaret of Austria, wife of Philip III, and thus was well endowed with wealth. Although it belongs to an enclosed religious order, the building is open to the public under the administration of the Patrimonio Nacional. read more…
Teatro Real (Royal Theatre) is a Spanish opera house located in Madrid. Known colloquially as El Real, the company was founded in 1818 and inaugurated on 19 November 1850. It closed in 1925 and reopened in 1966. Beginning in 1988, it underwent major refurbishment and renovation works and finally reopened in 1997 with a capacity of 1,746 seats. Founded by King Ferdinand VII in 1818, and after thirty-two years of planning and construction, a Royal Order on 7 May 1850, decreed the immediate completion of the “Teatro de Oriente” and the building works were finished within five months. The Opera House, located just in front of the Palacio Real, the official residence of the Queen who ordered the construction of the theatre, Isabel II, was finally inaugurated on 19 November 1850, with Donizetti’sLa favorite. read more…
The Royal Palace of Aranjuez (Spanish: Palacio Real de Aranjuez) is a former Spanish royal residence. It is located 5 km south of Madrid in the town of Aranjuez, Spain. It was established around the time Philip II of Spain moved the capital from Toledo to Madrid. Aranjuez became one of four seasonal seats of government, occupied during the springtime (from about holy week). Thereafter, the court moved successively to Rascafría, El Escorial and wintered in Madrid. read more…
The Plaza Mayor is a major public space in the heart of Madrid, the capital of Spain. It was once the centre of Old Madrid,. It was first built (1580–1619) during the reign of Philip III. Only a few blocks away is another famous plaza, the Puerta del Sol. The Plaza Mayor is for the people of Madrid and tourists to shop, walk around, eat, and enjoy the outdoors. There is a bronze statue of King Philip III at the center of the square, created in 1616 by Jean Boulogne and Pietro Tacca. Giambologna‘s equestrian statue of Philip III dates to 1616, but it was not placed in the center of the square until 1848. The statue was a gift from the Duke of Florence at that time. It was Queen Isabel II ordered to move it from Casa de Campo to become the centerpiece of the Plaza Mayor. read more…
The Palacio Real de Madrid (literally: Royal Palace of Madrid) is the official residence of the Spanish Royal Family at the city of Madrid, but is only used for state ceremonies. King Juan Carlos and the Royal Family do not reside in the palace, choosing instead the more modest Palacio de la Zarzuela on the outskirts of Madrid. The palace is owned by the Spanish State and administered by the Patrimonio Nacional, a public agency of the Ministry of the Presidency. The palace is located on Calle de Bailén (Bailén Street), in the Western part of downtown Madrid, East of the Manzanares River, and is accessible from the Ópera metro station. Several rooms in the palace are regularly open to the public except during state functions. An admission fee of 11€ is required except for residents of the Iberian Peninsula. read more…
Cuatro Torres Business Area (CTBA) (Spanish for Four Towers Business Area) is a business district located in the Paseo de la Castellana in Madrid, on the former Ciudad Deportiva of Real Madrid. The area contains the tallest skyscrapers in Madrid and Spain. The construction of the buildings finished in 2008. The complex was formerly known as Madrid Arena. Designed by Henry N. Cobb and built by Obrascón Huarte Lain, the 57-storey Torre Espacio (Spanish for Space Tower) is 224.5 metres (736 feet) tall. In November 2006, its height surpassed that of the Gran Hotel Bali, thus making it the tallest building in Spain, although it retained that title only for a short time. The structure was topped out on March 19, 2007 and that evening, Alberto Ruiz Gallardón, mayor of Madrid, attended a firework display to commemorate the event. read more…
The Museo del Prado is the main Spanish national art museum, located in central Madrid. It features one of the world’s finest collections of European art, from the 12th century to the early 19th century, based on the former Spanish Royal Collection, and unquestionably the best single collection of Spanish art. Founded as a museum of paintings and sculpture, it also contains important collections of other types of works. A new, recently opened wing enlarged the display area by about 400 paintings, and it is currently used mainly for temporary expositions. El Prado is one of the most visited sites in the world, and it is considered to be among the greatest museums of art. The large numbers of works by Velázquez and Francisco de Goya (the artist more extensively represented in the collection), Titian, Rubens and Bosch are among the highlights of the collection. read more…
Gran Vía (literally “Great Way”) is an ornate and upscale shopping street located in central Madrid. It leads from Calle de Alcalá, close to Plaza de Cibeles, to Plaza de España. The lively street is one of the city’s most important shopping areas, with a large number of hotels and large movie theaters; it is also noted for the grand architecture prevalent among many of its buildings. Now, most of the theaters are being replaced by shopping malls. It is considered a showcase of early 20th century architecture, with patterns ranging from Vienna Secession style, Plateresque, Neo-Mudéjar, Art Deco and others. read more…
In irregular intervals we publish Theme Weeks about cities, regions, and countries. Here you can find the complete list. read more…
