Top architectural sightseeing and landmarks of Madrid - ideas on city exploration routes


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What are the most important landmarks to see first and foremost in Madrid? Without a doubt, the original architecture of the city deserves the highest attention. Royal Palace of Madrid, Museo del Prado, Las Ventas, Vicente Calderon Stadium, National Archaeological Museum and many others – are the architectural landmarks that attract millions of tourists every year. Let’s visit Madrid right now by making a virtual tour using our fantastic 3D flight simulator! Just start the video on this page and make a flight over the main sites of Madrid, which are presented in a three-dimensional format. Besides that, our review includes interesting facts and colorful photos of every monument.

Royal Palace of Madrid, Madrid

Location on the map:   Facts:
» The Royal Palace in Madrid hosts a bulk of the official ceremonies, in which King of Spain takes part. Also, the palace is the official residence of the Spanish monarchs.
» The Royal Palace in Madrid is decorated with frescoes by Caravaggio, Velazquez, Goya; inside the building there is the collection of Stradivarius violins. The courtyard is decorated with gilded lanterns.
» Gasparini Hall in the palace is lined with silk and silver lanterns, in the center there is a table of mosaics; chandeliers are made of silver and crystal, the walls are decorated with mirrors.
» The armory of the Royal Palace houses a unique collection of arms and armor of the Austrian monarchs.

Museo del Prado, Madrid

Location on the map:   Facts:
» The Prado Museum in Madrid is one of the most visited museums in the world.
» Prado features a unique collection of Spanish, Flemish and Italian art masters such as Velazquez, Goya, Bosch, and Rubens.
» Queen Isabel de Braganza was actively involved in development of the Prado Museum.
» The museum's collection began to be formed by the Spanish kings since the reign of Charles V and his son Philip II.
» At the time of the opening the museum's collection has consisted of 311 paintings.

Las Ventas, Madrid

Location on the map:   Facts:
» Las Ventas is the bullring that was built in 1929. The fights are held here in summer.
» There’s an opinion that football fans’ cry ‘ole-ole’ comes from bullfighting.
» Future matadors are taught from an early age. Costume of the bullfighter is called Traje de Luces, ‘the suit of lights’.
» Matador translates from Spanish as ‘the killer’.
» There is the museum dedicated to the history of bullfighting at the arena. Here you can see costumes and personal belongings of the matadors, as well as heads of slain bulls.
» A suit of the first female matador, Juanita Cruz, is stored in the museum of arena. During the Civil War, she has left Spain.

Vicente Calderon Stadium, Madrid

Location on the map:   Facts:
» Vicente Calderon is the 7th-capacity stadium in Spain.
» At the moment, the stadium can accommodate 54,960 spectators.
» Chairs of the stadium are painted in red and white, the colors of Atletico club.
» In 2003, it became the first Spanish stadium to be awarded the title of elite stadium and get 5 stars.
» The first official name of the stadium was Manzanares. Later it was renamed in honor of the club's president, Vicente Calderon.

National Archaeological Museum, Madrid

Location on the map:   Facts:
» The museum was founded by decree of Isabella II for storing ethnographic and archaeological finds, decorative art objects and the numismatic collection.
» There is a magnificent and authentic copy of the Altamira Caves in the garden.
» The most important items in the museum are three sculptures: the Lady of Elx, Lady of Baza and Biche of Balazote.
» The museum is considered one of the best in the country.
» There are about a million works of art belonging to different cultures, nations and epochs in the collection.
» One of the most striking exhibits is the famous Treasure of Guarrazar, consisting of golden crowns and crusifix of the 6th century.

Circulo de Bellas Artes, Madrid

Location on the map:   Facts:
» Circulo de Bellas Artes is the multi-functional center representing various forms of art from the plastic and performing arts to literature, science, philosophy, and cinema.
» The center was founded in 1880 through the efforts of a small group of artists.
» During its first years, there were many famous people, including Nobel laureate Jacinto Benavente and playwrighter Carlos Arniches, on the stage.
» The main goal of the center is to spread basic artistic and cultural values. About 1,000 various cultural events take place in Circulo de Bellas Artes every year.
» It houses a large and priceless collection of works of art and about 1,200 copies (paintings, prints, sculptures, books, etc.).

Royal Convent of La Encarnacion, Madrid

Location on the map:
Facts: » Royal Convent of La Encarnacion was founded in 1611 by Margaret of Austria, the wife of Philip III. This monastery is still working.
» The monastery still remains home to high society ladies. It’s considered one of the richest and most prosperous monasteries of Spain.
» The church of the monastery keeps relics of Christian saints, in particular, the blood of St. Januarius and St. Pantaleon.
» It’s believed that the blood of St. Pantaleon becomes liquid every year on July 27, on the feast day of the saint.
»  Since the monastery was built on the initiative of Queen Margaret of Austria, it’s known as Las Margaritas.
» Due to a fire that occurred in a monastery in the 18th century, the monastery was renovated and the interior has been changed significantly.
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Build your walking routes in Madrid on the landmark map

More to see in Madrid
The capital of Spain has prepared a lot of pleasant surprises for fans of fascinating excursions. In the city you will find widest selection of historical and architectural sites. Don’t forget to pay attention to the beautiful Royal Palace (Palacio Real), the construction of which was completed in 1734. Until 1931 the palace was the main royal residence. Even nowadays the halls of the palace hold important events and political meetings. A large part of the premises is open to visitors, so tourists can stroll through beautiful rooms and look at this amazing example of luxury. Art lovers should not forget to visit Museo Lazaro Galdiano, in 37 rooms of which are exhibited collections of priceless sculptures, paintings, folk costumes and weapons. The museum is located in a beautiful mansion of the 19th century, which itself is an object of a great value. Among the famous architectural buildings of Madrid we should definitely distinguish Goya Pantheon (Panteon de Goya). The great artist directly participated in the decoration of the dome of the chapel. There are also frescoes in the church. The frescoes depict the scenes from Goya's stories about St. Anthony. The chapel is the tomb of the world famous painter. Parque del Retiro is simply the best place for hiking and outdoor recreation. The park is located in the heart of the city and covers an area of 140 hectares. Several centuries ago Philip IV liked having rest in this beautiful garden. It is also worth making a walk … Read further

Architectural landmarks in the regions around Madrid

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