If you take a wander around Retiro on a Sunday afternoon, you’ll encounter people getting up to all sorts beneath the foliage, from spiritually-minded yogis contorting their bodies into ever more impossible shapes, to carnally-inclined lovers locking lips. But when the park was first opened to the public in 1868, such scenes would have scandalised. …
Fervent belief “There are people who say it’s a fake, but I can tell you, I’ve seen it myself! It’s really incredible, the blood turns to liquid and goes a bright shade of red!” During this impassioned speech, our guide’s eyes shine with the fervour of the true believer. Some in the group mirror her …
Saints alive! Did you know that the bones of Saint Valentine can be found in Madrid? Resting on plush red velvet within a golden reliquary, the supposed remains of this most romantic of saints are housed in the church of San Anton in Chueca. The skull along with various other bones were discovered in some Roman …
Community collective Anyone wandering through the chilly graffiti-splattered corridors of Tabacalera would be forgiven for thinking that the former tobacco factory has been abandoned by the powers that be. Rundown, raucous, and rough around the edges, the space feels more like a Berlin squat than a state-owned community centre. This is mostly down to bad management …
With its blinged out designer clothes shops filled with trophy wives dragging along toy poodles, Salamanca is THE most exclusive barrio in Madrid. But it wasn’t always this way. In fact, the area has a surprisingly short and initially troubled history. Breaking through the city wall Between 1625 and 1868, Madrid was surrounded by a …
A cinematic history Up until December 3, Madrid’s Railway Museum is playing host to a special “Murder on the Orient Express” exhibition. Put on to mark the release of Kenneth Branagh’s film in cinemas, the event pays tribute Agatha Christie’s masterpiece with a display of outfits and accessories from the 1930s shown alongside the museum’s existing …
Europe’s tallest building The Telefónica building is one of Gran Via’s most impressive sights. Standing at 90 meters tall, this stately white edifice was the brainchild of Ignacio de Cárdenas, an architect who took his inspiration from Manhattan’s impressive skyscrapers, but also added his own Spanish touch with ornamental Baroque flourishes. When the project was completed …
The Telefonica building: Madrid’s first skyscraper Read More »
Deceptive construction Take a good look at the building above. How many floors do you think it has? Two, three, four? Stumped? That’s pretty much what the 16th century architect was going for. With its sloped roof and weirdly positioned windows, this building, located in La Latina at number 10 Calle de la Redondilla, was …
A lucrative conquest? The conquest of the New World was a bit of a kerching moment for Spain. Galleons containing vast amounts of gold were brought over to fill the crown’s coffers making Spain the envy of all Europe. And yet visitors to Madrid were surprised at how scuzzy the city looked. The unpaved streets …
Muslim Madrid Though little remains of Madrid’s Muslim past, medieval Andalusia lives on in the popular imagination thanks to the efforts of some late 19th-century architects who brought about the revival of a Spanish style known as Mudéjar. Reflecting the fanciful nature of the Romantic period, these red-brick buildings with their square minaret-style towers give …
Neo-mudéjar: the mashup style that reflects Spain’s rich heritage Read More »
