Attractions in
Madrid
Festivals
Among the best known of the many festivals occurring in Madrid is the Fiestas de San Isidro in May; the Veranos de la Villas, a musical spectacular during July and August; the colorful folkloric Verbena de la Paloma in August; The Festival of Fall in September; the Fiesta de Pillar in October, and the International Jazz Festival and the traditional Almudena in November. In December the Plaza Mayor has a gigantic display of trees and decorations for the Christmas season.
Monuments to the 16th century
The Wall of Madrid built by the Muslims in the 9th and 10th centuries and completed later by the Christians after the Muslim expulsion.
The Church of St. Peter the Great and The Church of San Nicolas de los Servitas with its Gothic apse from the 15th century.
The Casa de los Lujanes, a palace from the 15th century with an impressive Gothic façade.
Monuments of the 16th & 17th Centuries
The Capilla del Obispo (Chapel of the Archbishop) with its Renaissance façade.
The Casa Cisneros and the Monastery de las Descalzas Reales. The latter houses artistic works of great value.
The 19th Century
The Plaza de Oriente was initiated during the reign of Jose Bonaparte as a gift to the city and today is the site of the Royal Theater. The Puerta de Toledo from 1817 commemorates the victory over Napolean. The Palacio del Senado houses a huge neo-gothic library. The Teatro de la Zarzuela was constructed in 1856 with
Milan
’s Scala as its model. The Puerta del Sol was the most important entrance into the city during the 15th century and today the surrounding area has numerous historical monuments.
The National Library and the Bank of Spain are impressive structures from this era. The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia exhibits Picasso’s famous
Guernica
. The Crystal Palace was constructed in 1887 of iron and glass to exhibit exotic plants.
Madrid
– a world city reflecting the best of Spanish culture and traditions!
