Our interest in visiting the Royal Basilica of Saint Francis the Great in Madrid arose a few years ago when we stumbled upon the Gardens of the dahlias of Saint Frances. It was the beautiful temple that stood out on the other side of the wall that caught our attention. Continue reading “Madrid and the Royal Basilica of Saint Francis the Great”
The Sorolla Museum is one of the best preserved artist’s houses in Europe and since March 1, 1962, the building is a National Historic-Artistic Monument.
In 1909, the great artist Joaquín Sorolla Bastida, commissioned the project to the architect Enrique María de Repullés y Vargas, who fulfilled the wishes of the painter, creating a space that unites the work area and his home and also has a garden area. To achieve the latter, shortly after, Sorolla bought a second adjoining lot that would allow him to expand the built area and incorporate three gardens to the house. It was in 1911, that his new home in Madrid, on Paseo del General Martínez Campos, was inaugurated. Continue reading “Sorolla, his studio, home and museum”
Shown as a museum, where its living exhibits change throughout the year, making this great space unique in its kind in Spain, it is the Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid.
With a privileged location in front of the Prado Museum, the Royal Botanical Garden has a space of 75,000 m2, containing approximately 5,000 different species of trees and plants from all over the world. Continue reading “The Royal Botanical Garden in Madrid”
From the first moment we saw her, we fell in love with her. That church that looms majestically as we approach the Prado Museum. We are talking about the Church of “San Jerónimo El Real”. Continue reading “Madrid and its “San Jerónimo El Real” Church”
According to the legend, the image of “Santa María de la Almudena” dates back to the times of James the Elder and his arrival in Spain to preach the “good news”. However, the Madrid cathedral that honors this image is much more recent. Continue reading “Madrid and its Cathedral of Santa María la Real de La Almudena”
Walking along the Paseo el Prado and just in front of the Royal Botanic Garden, there is a very particular garden, the Green Wall of the CaixaForum in Madrid, Spain. It is specifically located at Paseo del Prado # 36. Continue reading “The Green Wall of Madrid”
On top of a hill above the “Cuartel de la Montaña” Park (formerly a military installation) and inside the West Park in Madrid, there is a piece of Egypt. The temple of Debod, an Egyptian structure dating from the second century B.C.
On the corner of Alcalá street and the Prado Promenade in Madrid, Spain, stands the Cybele Palace, framed by the famous Cibeles Fountain, from which its name derives. This symbol of the city of Madrid, with a certain touch of cathedral, is within walking distance of other famous structures such as the Metropolis Building, the Prado Museum and the Arch or Gateway to Alcalá.
Initially known as the Plaza Saint Salvador, the Plaza of the Villa was one of the main medieval centers of the Villa of Madrid. King Henry IV of Castile granted the title of “Noble and Loyal Vlla” to Madrid in the fifteenth century and, therefore, the change in the name of the square.
Since the beginning of time, the constant conflicts among human beings forced the development of protection measures, especially as they joined together to form communities. This led to the construction of fortresses and enclosed towns or cities. Therefore, only gates lead in and out of the city, the architectural element of greater prominence in this type of fortresses.
Continue reading “The gates of Toledo and San Vicente – Madrid”