Explorations of the capital of Spain!
Finally, I reached Madrid, which would be my final destination in Spain. It was a bittersweet visit. I didn’t want to say goodbye to this wonderful country. However, exploring Madrid was a great way to end the trip.
Madrid has been the capital of Spain since 1561 (save for a handful of years in Valladolid) and now a major metropolis. The area that will become Madrid has been settled since the Stone Age. A small citadel was founded here in the 9th century by Moors. Madrid started as a military outpost, then called Mayrit. A small town developed around the castle over the centuries. It kept its rural nature which attracted monarchs in the 14th century. Phillip II (once married to Bloody Mary of England) moved the capital to Madrid, which only had 20,000 inhabitants at the time. The city grew rapidly in the 17th century, and it hasn’t stopped. Not much of this really early Madrid can be found. Madrid is truly a modern city, but it still has kept much of its older feel, especially in the historic center.
I’m just going to show pictures in order, I think. I walked all over Madrid several times. It was just a great place to walk honestly.
Jana Irving Early morning street views with the towers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation in the background.
Jana Irving Calle de Toledo, heading towards the Plaza Mayor.
Jana Irving The gorgeous 16th century Plaza Mayor.
Jana Irving Close up on that center building. It’s covered in paintings of people for some reason.
Jana Irving This plaza is huge!
Jana Irving The plaza known as the Puerta del Sol. It’s a very busy place. The main shopping district is north of the plaza and there is a train station underground.
Jana Irving There is a couple of streets full of fancy buildings.
Jana Irving It was Epiphany (January 6). They would be taking down those decorations soon.
Jana Irving A fancy door for a government office.
Jana Irving The Metropolis Building with a giant Christmas decoration in the front.
Jana Irving Art deco!
Jana Irving The Bank of Spain’s fancy building.
Jana Irving Where the Calle de Alcala and Calle de Gran Via meet. Both streets have awesome buildings.
Jana Irving Madrid has so many cool buildings.
Jana Irving I wish they still made buildings like these today.
Jana Irving That one is cool.
Jana Irving The Palacio de Cibeles and the Fountain of Cibele.
Jana Irving The Estanque Grande de El Retiro in El Retiro Park.
Jana Irving The Palacio de Cristal in El Retiro Park.
Jana Irving Fountain of the Fallen Angel.
Jana Irving A whole row of book stands.
Jana Irving The Pardo Museum. I never ended up going inside.
Jana Irving In front of the Pardo, there are trees full of parakeets. This one found a stick.
Jana Irving The Fuente de Neptuno. So many fountains in this city.
Jana Irving That’s a fancy one.
Jana Irving A colorful theater.
Jana Irving So many Christmas lights in the Plaza de Canalejas.
Jana Irving A very cute restaurant.
Jana Irving A cute little confectionery shop.
Jana Irving A very fancy city government building on the Plaza de la Villa.
Jana Irving The Plaza de la Villa has some of the oldest buildings in Madrid that still stand.
Jana Irving The oldest building in Madrid, from the 15th century. Madrid is young compared to other Spanish cities.
Jana Irving Starting a new day in a cemetery. I know I’m weird.
Jana Irving The Cemetery of San Isidro has some very interesting tombs.
Jana Irving And some really fancy ones.
Jana Irving The cute 17th century Chapel of the Virgin of the Harbor.
Jana Irving Catedral de Santa María la Real de la Almudena, or simply the Cathedral of Madrid. Construction didn’t begin until 1879 and didn’t finish until the 1990s. The catholic church headquarters are in Toledo so there was no rush to build a cathedral here.
Jana Irving It’s a very modern, yet colorful church.
Jana Irving That’s the ceiling design.
Jana Irving The apse is even more colorful.
Jana Irving The Romanesque style crypt is a whole other world from upstairs.
Jana Irving Small, pretty chapels line the crypt.
Jana Irving Not a bad place to be buried.
Jana Irving Pretty chapel.
Jana Irving The front of the Cathedral of Madrid.
Jana Irving Next, I visited the Royal Palace of Madrid.
Can’t take photos the royal palace, so I will be continuing on in my next post with more explorations of Madrid!
Check out my next update where I explore more of Madrid!
or
Start at the beginning of my travels around Spain!
