Introduction........................................................ ........................................................ ................3
Chapter 1. History of urban planning of Madrid.................................................... ......6
Chapter 2. Architectural monuments of Madrid
2.1. Royal Palace. Escorial........................................................ ............13
2.2. Temple architecture........................................................ ........................16
2.3. Squares of Madrid................................................... ................................20
2.4. Monuments........................................................ ...........................................25
Conclusion................................................. ........................................................ ..........28
List of used literature......................................................... ....................30
Applications
Introduction
The cultural significance of the capital of Spain is difficult to overestimate. After all, over the past few centuries Madrid has become the center of dramatic and musical theaters, numerous museums and architectural monuments. The historic center of Madrid is located southeast of the area of the former royal palace. Unfortunately, during the reconstruction of the city in the 19th-20th centuries. Most of the architectural monuments were lost. The appearance of old Madrid, with its irregular layout characteristic of a medieval city, has been preserved only to the southwest of Plaza Puertadel Sol, located on the site of the eastern gate of the medieval city. In this part of the capital, it is worth highlighting such architectural monuments of the 16th-17th centuries as the ensemble of Plaza Mayor (1629), the Episcopal Chapel (1520) and the Church of San Antonio de los Alemanes (1624) in the Herreresco style.
In the XVIII - first quarter of the XIX century. Classicism dominated the architecture of Madrid. Architectural monuments dating back to this period are the Royal Palace (1738-1764), the Town Hall, the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando, rebuilt in 1774 under the direction of the architect X. de Villanueva, the Church of San Francisco el Grande , the Prado Museum, the Church of San Antonio de la Florida, in which F. Goya’s paintings are still preserved.
The rapid growth of Madrid occurred in the second half of the 19th century. During this period, Madrid intensively merged with its suburbs. Art Nouveau became the leading architectural style. The Cathedral of Nuestra Señora de la Almudena, built at the end of the 19th century, is the most striking example of this trend in the history of the development of architecture in Spain.
In 1929, a master plan for the reconstruction of Madrid was developed, headed by the architect F. de Escondrilla. During the Republican government, intensive work was carried out to improve the city. According to created in the 1950s. The new master plan for Madrid was to be developed primarily in the north, east and southeast. This is how a number of satellite cities appeared, including Escorial and El Prado. To replace eclecticism in the 20th century. modern trends have arrived. A striking example of the trends characteristic of this period are the Ministry of Aviation, built under the leadership of the architect L. E Soto (Ciudad Jardin district, “garden city”), the university campus, the Zarzuela racetrack (1935), the Institute of Constructions and Cement (1951). The most important work of architecture of the 1960s. can be called the “White Towers” skyscraper by the architect F. X. Saenz de Hois.
The masterpieces of monumental sculpture in Madrid can be admired endlessly. No one will be indifferent to the famous equestrian statues of Philip III (1613), Philip IV (1640), fountains of the 18th century, monuments to Columbus (1885), F. Goya (1905), two monuments to M. Cervantes (1835 and 1927), made of bronze.
Madrid is of great importance for connoisseurs of Arab-Moorish art. Here, as nowhere else, you can trace the history of its development from the very beginning to the era of its greatest prosperity in the 13th-14th centuries.
The capital has more than 100 museums and art galleries. But the hallmark of Madrid can rightfully be called the Prado Museum, where priceless paintings by Botticelli, Raphael, Titian, Bosch, Bruegel, Goya, Rembrandt, El Greco, Rubens, Durer, Velazquez, Caravaggio and many other famous artists are kept. In separate rooms of the Prado Museum, classical sculpture, works of jewelry, as well as a fine collection of porcelain and coins are presented. The Archaeological Museum contains valuable exhibits from all cultures of Spain, from ancient times to the present day. The Royal Palace is interesting because here you can explore the palace halls, the Royal Library, the Royal Pharmacy, the armory, numismatic museums, as well as the Museum of Music, Applied Arts and Painting.
The famous Puerta Del Sol is located in the center of Madrid. It is popular among tourists because there is a figure of a bear made of stone in the middle. Not far from Puerta del Sol there is the Carboneras Monastery, built in 1607, where the most valuable ancient paintings are kept. The Royal Theater, built in the 17th century, is located next to Encarnacion Square. No less famous is the convent of Descalzas Reales, founded in the 16th century. For several centuries, high-ranking persons stayed here, who donated various works of art from their collections to the monastery as payment for their stay. Thus, at the moment the museum contains many masterpieces of world art.
The Calatravas Church is distinguished by its original architectural solutions. The Palace of the Dukes of Uceda, dating back to the beginning of the 17th century, is of cultural value. The fountain of the goddess Cibeles, which is installed on the square of the same name, is also famous for its extraordinary beauty.
The purpose of my work is, based on the literature studied, to tell about the unique architecture of Madrid.
The goal is specified by the following tasks:
Trace the historical path of urban development in Madrid;
Tell about the main architectural monuments of Madrid.
The culture of peoples is deep, ancient, symbolic, and in order to understand it, it is necessary to study primary sources - monuments of art.
Chapter 1. History of urban planning in Madrid
It is known that Madrid (Mayrit) was founded by the Arabs under Emir Muhammad I (852-886) as a fortified settlement. Madrid stood on a hill. It was surrounded by the valley of the Manzanares River, a deep ravine where Segovia Street now runs and the Arenal River, the memory of which is preserved in the name of the modern street. At the top there was a citadel (in Arabic “almudaina”). Adjoining it on the eastern side was the city itself (medina), located on less rocky lands. The area of the citadel and medina reached 8 and 16 hectares, respectively.
The military role of the city and the peasants who inhabited it suggest that Madrid did not stand out for any urban originality, apart from its monolithic city wall. It was this gate and the gates made in it, to which the main and secondary routes from nearby villages converged, that were the factors that influenced the further development of the city.
These roads gradually became the main streets of the new outskirts of Madrid. The transformation of a rural road into a city street has become a kind of constant in the morphology of the future big city. This is confirmed by the so-called “Suburb” (Arrabal), which in the late Middle Ages grew outside the city wall along the axis of the current Calle Mayor street from the once existing Guadalajara Gate to the place that would later be called Puerta del Sol (Gate of the Sun). ). The road to Alcala de Henares (future Alcala Street) and the Aragonese Route began from here.
The question of the expansion of Madrid has been raised for a very long time and is confirmed by the fact of the existence of residential areas adjacent to the outer part of the city wall. During the 13th-15th centuries, these settlements grew constantly and very intensively and formed the already mentioned “Fubbourg”, which under Enrique IV (1454-1475) doubled the area of the old Spanish-Muslim city.
It should be recognized that the driving force behind the city's growth was its three markets, one duty-free and two regular. They were ordered to be organized by Enrique IV, who also showed his favor towards Madrid by founding several institutions there, for example, the monastery of San Jeronimo, which remained under august patronage even during the time of the Catholic Kings. The “suburb” was built up unevenly and in a disorderly manner. The connecting elements were the churches of San Martin, San Gines and Santa Cruz built in it.
In the 16th century, Madrid turned from an ordinary city into a capital. This marked the end of the first stage of its history, during which trade was added to the settlement’s original military functions. During the reign of Philip II, Madrid acquired a new political importance due to the fact that the Royal Court settled in this city. Even Charles V showed his sympathy for Madrid. It is known that he visited the medieval Alcazar and decided to expand and rebuild it. In order to create an area around it and improve access roads, it was necessary to demolish part of the building. Concern for the external appearance of the royal castle, the facade of which acquired a certain nobility of form, although the remaining walls retained their former medieval appearance, gave rise to a spirit of peculiar competition among wealthy citizens. It was during that era that the first palaces began to appear in the city, and the builders cared not only about their external architectural appearance, but also about the internal layout (let’s call, for example, the building that would later house the monastery of the Royal Sandals and which is usually called “Casa de Cisneros” ").
The founding of many religious communities dates back to 1517-1556, contributing to the appearance of a large number of church buildings and among them the famous Bishop's Chapel (Capilla del Obispo). At the same time, the first monumental architectural structures were created in Madrid. Further evidence that the rebuilding of Madrid began under Charles V is the work carried out at the "Puerta de Guadalajara", a gate that was significantly widened to allow the free passage of carts and carriages.
To this day, not a single city plan from that period is known. There is only some information about the appearance of Madrid at the end of the era of Charles V. We are talking about several views of Madrid stored in the Vienna National Library, very problematically attributed to the brush of the Flemish artist Anton von den Wingerd and dating back to approximately 1563-1570. In them, in addition to the rebuilt Alcazar, what is most striking is the size of Madrid, which has gone beyond the boundaries of the Suburbs. Some administrative documents, concerning, for example, the cleaning of the streets or the preventive measures taken in connection with the epidemic of 1566, make it possible to learn about the division of Madrid into 9 large areas and its actual perimeter, finally fixed by a decree of the Castilian Council in 1567. The new borders implied a significant expansion of the capital's area, which grew mainly to the east and to a lesser extent to the south.
Spain is the birthplace of Gaudi, de Villanueva, Machuca and other outstanding architects. Their names are known all over the world, and their creations decorate not only Spanish cities, but also other European cities. The main center of architectural beauty in Spain, apart from Barcelona and Valencia, is its capital, Madrid. The beautiful city, founded in the early 900s AD, is now the center of Spanish life, and the main metropolis of the country. Also, Madrid has a huge number of different architectural values, which we will talk about in this material.
History of architecture in Madrid.
The oldest architectural structure in Madrid that has survived to this day is considered to be the legendary Alcala gate, which are the symbol of this city. This building was built in a mixed style of Baroque and Classicism, due to which it has a very unusual appearance. The modern gate is an updated version of the old gate, which was reconstructed after the decree of Charles III. The gate is made of granite and has five spans (two with straight arches, three with semicircular ones). On top of the structure are depicted the four human virtues (Moderation, Justice, Wisdom and Courage), which are made in the form of limestone figures.
Prado Museum building was built in 1785, and is one of the most striking and monumental monuments of classicism. During its existence, the building has been reconstructed several times, and the hallmark of the building is the massive colonnade leading to the main entrance.
Plaza Mayor is the main square of the city, surrounded by beautiful buildings reminiscent of Austrian architecture. The center of attention is a luxurious building Casa de la Panderia, famous for its two pointed spiers. And traditional Austrian pretentiousness, which is emphasized by neat balconies. Interestingly, this building served as a bakery! Puerta del Sol is another luxurious square in Madrid, surrounded by unique architecture.
Palace architecture of Madrid.
The palaces of the Spanish capital are a separate column of local architecture, which is simply impossible to pass by.
Royal Palace in Madrid- the official residence of the Spanish monarchs, which serves not only as the most beautiful architectural landmark of the country's capital, but also as a symbol of power. The building was built under the leadership of the Italian architect Filippo Juvarru, who after his death was replaced by other Italian masters of architecture. The palace is beautiful for its interior decoration, where the interiors are made in a wide variety of styles that harmoniously combine with each other. The appearance of the palace is very official and is distinguished by its monumentality.
Linares Palace, built in neo-Braoque style, was erected at the end of the 19th century. In its history, the palace building was destroyed almost to the ground during the Civil War, but subsequently, the authorities restored the original appearance of Linares. The structure is small in size, rising four floors above the street.
Escorial– a unique structure with an epoch-making appearance. This palace is located outside the city limits and serves as the main residence of the Spanish king. The structure rises against the backdrop of the greenery surrounding the palace, and is a huge rectangle measuring 208x162 meters. The palace complex includes a huge number of elements - 9 towers, 13 chapels, 15 galleries, 300 cells, 16 patios, more than 2600 windows.
Temple architecture of Madrid.
As the capital of Spain, Madrid has more political significance for the country, but from a religious point of view the city is also very rich.
Almudena Cathedral- a majestic temple building located opposite the Armory Square in Madrid. The first stone of the cathedral was laid in 1884, and only in 1993 the Almudena Cathedral was consecrated by the Pope. The cathedral building is distinguished by its elaborate neo-Gothic style and has a very light appearance. The shape of the building is made in the form of a Latin cross.
Known throughout the world for its majestic façade, Royal Cathedral of Saint Francis the Great, is distinguished by its size and beauty. So, the height of the dome is 58 meters, and its diameter is 33 meters. The building of the Royal Cathedral was built in the neoclassical style.
Monastery of Encarnacion, is considered the richest and most prosperous monastery in Spain, and its building is one of the five most recognizable architectural structures of the Spanish capital. The facade of the monastery is made of brick and stone slabs, and is designed in the rare Herreresque style. Also, in the exterior of Encarancion there are notes of neoclassicism, which was introduced into the appearance by Ventura Rodriguez, who was engaged in the restoration of the church after a big fire.
Sports facilities in Madrid.
The sports architecture of the capital of Spain can be distinguished in two objects - two beautiful football stadiums.
The first one is Santiago Bernabeu, where Real Madrid, the legendary Spanish football club, is based. The huge bowl of the stadium seats 81,044 spectators in its stands, and is one of the most iconic sports venues in Europe. The opening of the stadium took place back in 1947, after which two reconstructions were carried out - in 1982 and 2001.
In the center of Madrid there is another iconic football stadium, where the local club Atlético plays. This "Vicente Calderon", accommodating 54,907 spectators. The stadium has an ancient façade and historical significance for Spanish sports. But, in the near future, the stadium will be completely destroyed, since it is planned to build a new, modern arena in its place.
Modern architecture of Madrid.
The architecture of the Spanish capital does not stand still, and luxurious modern skyscrapers are rising next to the ancient architecture, delighting city guests with their grandeur.
Picasso Tower For a long time it was the tallest building in the country, and is a classic skyscraper built according to the American prototype. 43 floors are located in a tower 157 meters high. The appearance of the skyscraper is very similar to the skyscrapers of New York or Washington in the business districts of American cities.
The Gate of Europe is a unique structure in a modern style, consisting of two towers inclined towards each other. The construction of this building was completed in 1994, and to this day, Gateway to Europe are an iconic example of the modern look of the Spanish capital.
Cuatro-Torres is a modern office center consisting of four skyscrapers of various shapes and heights. It is one of the towers of the complex (Torre Bankia) that is the tallest building in the country (250 meters, 45 floors). The complex is the “home” for several large companies in the Spanish capital.
As you can see, Madrid represents not only the history of Spanish architecture, but also its modernity. Every year the appearance of the Spanish capital changes, but historical architectural monuments are sacredly revered by the country's leadership and are preserved in their original form.
March 5th, 2018 , 09:00 am
So, Retiro Park. The Fallen Angel sculpture is one of the few depictions of the devil in the world. And, I must say, his personality does not evoke strong hostility, more reminiscent of a person suffering from his rebellion. 
In general, there are many monuments here, and many are good. Miguel Moya was the founder and first president of the Madrid Press Association. Next to him are the figures of a reporter and a typesetter.
General Arsenio Martinez de Campos took an active part in government affairs, which is not uncommon in Spain. In particular, he took part in hostilities in Cuba against the rebels who fought for its independence.
Image of an ancient dentist?...
There are a lot of sculptures. Some of it looked quite homely.
The Velázquez Palace building was built in the Retiro Park in 1881-1883 for the National Exhibition, held in May-November 1883.
The palace is named after its architect.
After the exhibition, the government decided to preserve the building. Today, the Velázquez Palace belongs to the Spanish Ministry of Culture. It houses the contemporary art hall of the Reina Sofia Center for the Arts.
The Crystal Palace was built in 1887 to display flora and fauna from the Philippines.
We already looked at the monument to King Alfonso XII from afar in the previous part.
There are many people at its foot.
The pedestal is replete with sculptural groups, which are complete compositions in themselves.
Allegory of the world.
Allegory of progress.
The bas-reliefs are good.
Proud and strict lions watch the vacationers.
A luxurious colonnade frames the monument from the shore.
Here you can have a quality rest.
But this interesting monument remained unknown to me.
I'm leaving Retiro. The Church of San Manuel and San Benito was built from 1902 to 1910 with money from the will of the Catalan businessman of Italian origin Don Manuel Cavighioli and his wife Benita Maurici, who are now buried in it. Since 1954, the temple has been the location of the editorial office of the magazine "Religion and Culture".
The Alcala Gate was built from 1770 to 1778. In ancient times, the Alcala outpost with fortress walls was located on this site. Later - an arch built by order of King Philip II in honor of the entry into Madrid of his wife, Margaret of Austria. The gate has five arches: the three central ones were intended for carriages, and the two side arches were for pedestrians. Open daily, they were closed with bars at night.
The Palacio de Linares was built in 1873 by the architect Carlos Colubi for the financier José Murga (Marquise de Linares).
During the 20th century, the palace changed owners, and in 1992 the socio-political center House of America was located here.
The Palace of Communications was built from 1904 to 1917. It is currently home to the Madrid City Council. The inscription on the façade reads: “Welcome, refugees!” It is difficult to say how sincere this phrase is. But by that time I had not noticed the dominance of migrants in the city.
The Fountain of Cibeles depicts the goddess of the fertility of the earth Cybele (in the Spanish version - Cibeles), riding a chariot with two lions, into which the goddess Aphrodite turned Hippomenes and Atalanta, forcing them to drive this chariot forever as a punishment.
Alcalá Street goes into the distance. This is the longest highway in the city.
Intersecting street.
Luxurious quadrigas were repeatedly observed on the roofs of houses.
Until now, I haven’t met cyclists too often. I think that in St. Petersburg their density is higher. The bike rack offers electric bicycles. As I understand it, the electric drive helps to turn the pedals.
Bear and strawberry tree in Puerta del Sol. By the way, this is one of the symbols of the city.
The Post House was built in 1761. The chime of the clock installed on its tower on December 31 notifies the Spaniards of the beginning of the New Year. Currently, the building houses the government of the Autonomous Region of Madrid.
On my first trip, Madrid seemed incredible to me. I was impressed by the very beautiful buildings. I don’t understand architecture, so I can only judge from the point of view of “like it or not.” So, I liked it in Madrid. Five years passed, I saw many other cities in Europe, and when I came to Madrid again, I did not find anything incredible in it - an ordinary “European city”, in the appearance of which there was nothing that caused such delight. And I became interested in what happened to Madrid, and I became interested in finding beauty in it.
The whole last day in Madrid I walked around the city and looked at the buildings. Beauty was found not in the whole, but in the details: balconies, stucco moldings, sculptures - if you pay attention not to the entire building, but to its pieces, it becomes much more interesting.
Like any other city, Madrid has gone through several milestones in history, each of which has left its mark on the appearance of the city. After Philip II moved the capital of Spain to Madrid in the mid-16th century, the city began to actively grow and develop. The architects of Philip II chose the Plaza Mayor, the main square, as the center for the new development of the city. Construction began on buildings to house the royal court, nobles and service functions.
During their visits to Flanders, Philip II and his son Philip III were impressed by Flemish architecture, which led to the popular spired buildings in Madrid at the time and to the involvement of Flemish architects in the design of the city. Madrid has preserved the reign of these Habsburg kings in the architectural ensemble of the Plaza Mayor and its surrounding buildings.
Casa de Panaderia, also known as a bakery in 1590
In the 18th century, the era of Bourbon rule begins. The first Spanish king of this dynasty, Philip V, invites Italian architects to build a palace similar to Versailles, where Philip was born. Madrid is being built up with new palaces for the nobility and churches in the Baroque style.
Gate of Alcala
Under Philip V, construction of the National Library began. The majestic building, as conceived by the king, was supposed to emphasize the importance of culture and science for the Spanish nation.
In 1759, the Spanish throne passes to Charles III, the best mayor of Madrid, as the Spaniards call him. If before Charles the rulers paid attention only to the construction of palaces and did not think about the common people, allowing the townspeople to settle as they pleased, the new king decided to radically change the situation. By that time, Madrid was such a dirty and unpleasant city that Charles even thought about moving the capital to Seville, but he pulled himself together and ordered order to be restored.
First of all, by royal decree, the townspeople were ordered to clean in and around their houses. Next, Charles III gave the task to architects led by Francesco Sabatini to redevelop the city, taking into account the construction of sewers, parks, hospitals and scientific buildings. Under Charles, construction began on the building of the Prado Museum, which was conceived as a natural history museum.
At the beginning of the 19th century, Madrid fell under French occupation, and Napoleon installed his older brother Joseph, or Jose I, as he was called in Spain, at the head of the Spanish kingdom. The French made significant changes to the appearance of Madrid, appropriating church property and destroying many churches and monasteries that were located in the city. Squares were built in their place.
After the liberation of Spain from the French in 1814, King Ferdinand returned from exile. First of all, the king announces a competition for the construction of memorials to those who died for Spain during the occupation, since the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, which had lost its talents during the reign of the French, was unable to offer an interesting project. The competition was won by Isidro Gonzalez Velazquez, for which he received not only medals, but also the position of royal architect.
Velázquez's main project and the main change in Madrid in the first half of the 19th century after the occupation was the Plaza de Oriente, built opposite the royal palace on the site of an apple orchard and several buildings. New buildings were erected in the neoclassical style, which became fashionable during this period, which means that elements of Roman and Greek architecture, mainly columns, began to be used in the decoration of buildings.
In the second half of the 19th century, the second large-scale redevelopment of Madrid began, caused by the rapid development of the city, whose population doubled compared to the beginning of the century. In addition, the redevelopment was influenced by the construction of several railway lines, which began to connect different parts of the country. Engineer Castro developed a linear plan for the growth of Madrid, which included the construction of 18 districts, provided with housing, hospitals, parks, prisons, educational institutions, cemeteries, canals for clean water and new sewers.
At the end of the 19th century, the fashion for style in architecture changed again. As a result of excavations or restorations, a large number of old drawings and manuscripts were discovered, which led to the emergence of such styles as neo-Gothic, neo-Byzantine, neo-Romanesque and others. Madrid did not escape fashion trends, and all new key buildings that were built in the city received elements of historicism in their appearance.
Ministry of Agriculture building
Building of the Higher Technical School of Mining and Energy
Bank of Spain
Bank of Spain in the evening
At the same time, construction began on the Almudena Cathedral opposite the Royal Palace.
In addition to historicism, the architecture of the late 19th century was heavily influenced by the Mudejar style, which led to the appearance of buildings with elements of Arabic decor. The Moorish style was so popular in Spain that the Spanish pavilion at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1878 was built in it.
Residential building, built in 1895. Popularly called the House with Balls
Another residential building
By the beginning of the 20th century, the population of Madrid had reached almost a million people, doubling its size since 1870. Industry is developing rapidly, the railway is growing, new means of communication are appearing, and great importance is being given to the financial services sector. Alfonso XIII became King of Spain at the age of 17. The young king sought to show that the capital of his kingdom did not lag behind the leading cities of Europe and supported ideas for modernizing Madrid and turning it into a city that kept pace with the times.
Palace of Communications
Palace of Communications
While the outskirts of Madrid were expanding, acquiring more and more houses for new citizens, the city center was undergoing significant changes. Back in the mid-19th century, architects hatched a project to connect the northwestern part of the city with the center through a wide street. After many years of deliberation, the project of Gran Via was born, a street just over a kilometer long and 35 meters wide, which became the Spanish Broadway and one of the main streets of Madrid.
Metropolis. The first building on Gran Via, built for an insurance company
Almost 10 years passed from the approval of the street plan to the start of the actual implementation of the project, since at the beginning it was completely unclear how to build a new street. As a result, the construction was divided into three stages, and many churches, streets, boulevards and more than 300 houses were sent for demolition. The first part of Gran Via was built under the influence of fashionable French style and the concept of a beautiful city.
Plaza Cibeles, where Gran Via begins, overlooking the Metropolis and the Bank of Spain
Jewelry company building, Grassi House
It's close
The second part of Gran Via was built over 8 years from 1917. The construction of this site fell on the “roaring 20s” in the USA, when New York, Chicago and other large cities were built with skyscrapers. Fashion in architecture changed again, historicism and the French style gave way to futurism, and reinforced concrete began to be used as materials. Architects in Madrid immediately took up the new trend, and while the demolition of old buildings on the second site of Gran Via was underway, they developed several projects for new buildings.
Fine Arts Building at night
It's the same during the day
Element of one of the residential buildings in the 1920s style
The architects did not stop only at the construction of Gran Via. New buildings were erected throughout Madrid, commissioned by the new rich - industrialists and bankers. Many buildings were built as apartment buildings, which increased the capital of their owners by renting out apartments.
Madrid-Paris building
Bank of Bilbao building
Apartment house of Thomas Allende
The third section of Gran Via was built in the 1930s and consisted mainly of tall and large buildings containing expensive hotels. The influence of the American style in architecture in the previous decade was so strong that almost all the buildings in the third section were also built with an eye on New York and Chicago, however, there was a slight admixture of Art Deco that decorated the buildings.
The construction of the third part of Gran Via was complicated by the political situation in Spain. In 1931, the Second Republic was established, Alfonso XIII was removed from the throne and sent into exile with his royal family. The reason for everything was a deep financial crisis. In 1936, a civil war broke out in Spain between Republicans and Nationalists led by Francisco Franco.
Bombing during the war greatly destroyed the city, so when Franco came to power in 1939, his government, among others, was faced with the task of reconstructing the city. The development of the plan was entrusted to urban planner Pedro Bidagor, who presented a concept of 12 main points. The concept included reforming the city center, creating ring and radial streets, reconstructing the railway network, building new houses, zoning the city, organizing new suburbs and much more. The plan was only accepted for implementation in 1946, and everything was completed by 1950.
The architecture of the Franco regime was functional when it came to ordinary buildings, and monumental when it came to demonstrating the power and strength of the regime. One of the most characteristic buildings is the Building of Spain, a skyscraper built in 1953 at the end of Gran Via in Piazza di Spagna. With a height of 117 m, the building was the tallest in Madrid for 7 years before the period of active development of the city with skyscrapers began.
Since the 1960s, the period of modern architecture began, skyscrapers of various heights were erected, the proportions of glass and concrete in which changed over time. Mostly tall buildings are erected in the east and northeast of Retiro Park and do not spoil the view of the city center. The entire business life of the city is gradually moving from the old city to this new center, and Gran Via and the historical buildings that survived after numerous redevelopments and bombings attract tourists.
Columbus Towers and sculpture at the entrance to the National Library. The Spanish call the building a rosette
After such a detailed study of the history of the city through its architecture, it became clear why Madrid looks like an exemplary European city. In general, because they wanted to make it like this, without sparing the historical heritage.
And if you ask me whether I liked Madrid, I will answer that probably not. There really is something to see, but this is not my city according to my inner feelings. Although I really liked the detailed analysis of architecture using the example of Madrid, and I will probably do something similar for another city if the opportunity arises.
The main and most striking attractions of Madrid are associated with the royal family and are located in close proximity to each other - around the Eastern Square. First of all, this is the Royal Palace with its magnificent facade and breathtaking Rococo interiors, from here Spain was once ruled, today it is only a platform for celebrations and excursions.
Inside, visitors will find a concentration of increased luxury. These are tapestries, wall and ceiling frescoes, works of great Spanish and European artists, an abundance of stucco, marble, crystal chandeliers and lamps, carved furniture, as well as a collection of Stradivarius violins, the Carriage Museum, the Armory Hall, an ancient pharmacy and much more.
Opposite is the Royal Theater, where the key productions of which Spain is rich in theater take place.
But the main thing you should see while spending your holidays in Madrid is the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, better known as the San Fernando Academy. Works by Goya, Ruben, Zurbaran, Serano, Dali, Picasso and other artistic geniuses are exhibited here. The ensemble of royal architecture also includes the San Francisco Cathedral - an 18th-century building, built in the neoclassical style, has the tallest bell in Spain (58 meters), contains paintings by painters, burials of prominent Spanish people and temple relics inside.
Continuing the royal theme, it is worth visiting the Escorial Monastery in the suburbs of Madrid. In addition to its main function, it once served as a royal residence, for which it received the nickname of a monastery-palace. Outside the walls, chapels, chapels, towers, residential buildings made of gray granite, galleries, arcades and fountains await us.
Among the monasteries, Encarnacion with a collection of paintings, sculptures and a vessel with the blood of St. Panteleimon and the Descals Reales Monastery are also interesting. The monastery has an extensive museum with paintings by Rubens, Zurbaran, Titian, and Caravaggio. In addition, the halls display a collection of tapestries, silverware, coins, and sculptures.
Excursion tourism in Madrid is inextricably linked with temples and palaces. First of all, this is the Almudena Cathedral in the neo-Gothic style. Inside there is a baroque crucifix, green marble decorations and wall paintings traditional for European temples. Christian architecture is represented by the churches of San Isidro and San Nicolas.
Spain is a whole collection of examples of palace architecture and a striking example of this is the Palace of Telecommunications, in the lush exterior of which all styles and decorative elements are mixed.
While exploring Madrid, you will be surprised to find a small piece here - the ancient Temple of Debod, brought from the land of the pharaohs. The sights of Spain and its capital continue with the Royal Tapestry Manufactory, or carpet factory, where you can get acquainted with carpet weaving techniques.
Holidays in Madrid, like holidays in Spain, are closely connected with squares. The life of the city takes place here, the main events take place, including holiday ones, so they are full-fledged attractions of Madrid and favorite places for walks among Spaniards and tourists. Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol, Plaza Columbus, Plaza Cibeles compete with each other in the splendor of their architecture and abundance of restaurants, cafes, bars...
Another wealth of the capital is parks and gardens, decorated with ponds, fountains, sculptural compositions, flower beds and lush vegetation. Here it is worth walking through the Sabatini Gardens, visiting the Casa de Campo, Campo del Moro and Retiro parks.
Modern Spain is high-rise architecture, represented in Madrid by the twin towers under the general name “Gateway of Europe”. The skyscrapers are notable not for their height of 114 meters, but for the fact that they are inclined towards each other, forming something like an arch or gate.
And certainly excursions in Madrid do not pass by the capital's museums. The main exhibition pearl of the city is the Golden Triangle of Arts, which includes the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museums, the Reina Sofia Center and. The halls of these museums contain works of Spanish, Flemish, Italian, German, Dutch and other schools. Here you can get an idea of the work of El Greco, Berruguete, Bruegel, Rieber, Veronese, Titian, Tintoretto, Raphael, Goya, Bosch.
The most notable exhibitions include the Sorolla Museum, the Lazaro Galdiano Museum, the Cerralbo Museum, the Museum of America, a branch of the Solomon Guggenheim Museum of Modern Art, the Maritime Museum, museums of watches, criminology, romanticism, medicine and many other collections.
And these are just a few of the objects that turn a holiday in Spain into a real journey through time and the world of art.
