Attractions

The Templo de Debod, also known as the Temple of Debod, is an Egyptian temple of antiquity that was disassembled and reconstructed in the heart of Madrid, Spain. It was moved as part of the International Campaign to Save the Monuments of Nubia and can now be found in Parque de la Montaña, a square situated on Calle de Irún, 21-25 in Madrid.

Madrid's Puerta del Sol, a bustling public square and one of the city's most iconic landmarks, serves as the central point (Km 0) for Spain's radial road network. This lively square is home to a renowned clock whose chimes signal the customary consumption of the Twelve Grapes and the commencement of a new year. Since December 31, 1962, the New Year's festivities have been televised live by prominent networks such as Atresmedia and RTVE.

The Palacio Real de Madrid, or the Royal Palace of Madrid, was once the official residence of the Spanish royal family in Madrid but is now only used for state ceremonies. It boasts 135,000 m2 (1,450,000 sq ft) of floor space and houses an impressive 3,418 rooms, making it the largest royal palace in Europe.
While the palace is open to the public, visitors are only allowed to see a selection of rooms on the visitor route at any given time, with the route changing every few months due to the palace's enormous size. Admission is €13, but there are times when it is free. The palace is owned by the Spanish state and managed by the Patrimonio Nacional, which is a public agency of the Ministry of the Presidency. It is located on Calle de Bailén in the western part of downtown Madrid, east of the Manzanares River, and can be reached via the Ópera metro station. However, the current Spanish monarch, Felipe VI, and his family reside in the Palace of Zarzuela in El Pardo instead of the Royal Palace of Madrid.
The Royal Palace of Madrid sits on the site of a former Muslim-era fortress that was built by Emir Muhammad I of Córdoba in the 9th century. During the late Middle Ages, the impressive Alcázar of Madrid served as both a safe for the royal treasure and a habitual residence for the Trastámara monarchs. The royal alcázar was expanded during the 16th century, but it burned down on December 24, 1734. In its place, a new palace was built from scratch for the Bourbon dynasty between 1738 and 1755. The construction was led by Filippo Juvarra and Giovanni Battista Sacchetti, who worked in collaboration with Ventura Rodríguez, Francesco Sabatini, and Martín Sarmiento. During the Second Spanish Republic, the building was known as the "Palacio Nacional."
Inside the Royal Palace of Madrid, visitors can admire the wealth of art and the use of many fine materials in the construction and decoration of its rooms. The palace houses paintings by renowned artists such as Caravaggio, Juan de Flandes, Francisco de Goya, and Velázquez, as well as frescoes by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, Corrado Giaquinto, and Anton Raphael Mengs. The building also houses other collections of great historical and artistic significance, including the Royal Armoury of Madrid, porcelain, watches, furniture, silverware, and the only complete Stradivarius string quintet in the world.

The Santa María la Real de La Almudena, also known as Almudena Cathedral, is a Catholic church located in Madrid, Spain. It serves as the principal church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madrid. In 1993, the cathedral was consecrated by Pope John Paul II.

Located in Madrid's Buen Retiro Park, the Palacio de Cristal (or "Glass Palace") is a conservatory dating back to the 19th century. Nowadays, it serves as a venue for art exhibitions.
The Palacio de Cristal takes the form of a Greek cross and is constructed mostly from glass set within an iron framework on a brick base adorned with ceramics. Its height exceeds 22 meters due to its cupola.
Although the Delicias station in Madrid, a work of French architecture erected in 1880, had already featured large-scale glass and iron construction, the curved design of the Palacio de Cristal is more reminiscent of the techniques pioneered by British architects Joseph Paxton and Decimus Burton. The former was responsible for London's Crystal Palace while the latter designed the Palm House at Kew Gardens.
One of the main venues of the 1887 Philippines Exposition, the Palacio de Cristal's cast-iron frame was produced in Bilbao. The building was designed to be easily disassembled and reassembled in a new location, as was done with the equivalent structure in London. However, it still stands next to a lake on its original site, where it has been restored to its original appearance.
Currently, the Palacio de Cristal is used for art exhibitions and is no longer used as a greenhouse.

Located in Madrid, Spain, the Puerta de Alcalá is a Neo-classical gate situated at the Plaza de la Independencia. Originally a gate of the Walls of Philip IV, it was constructed to replace a smaller gate and provide access to the city of Alcalá. The gate stands just a few meters away from the main entrance to the Parque del Buen Retiro and is bisected by Alcalá Street, from where the Alfonso XII, Serrano, and Olózaga streets originate. The name of the gate comes from the path that led from Madrid to the nearby town of Alcalá de Henares.
During the late 18th century, Madrid was surrounded by medieval walls and lacked aesthetic appeal. In 1774, King Charles III tasked Francesco Sabatini with constructing a grand gate that would serve as the entrance to an expanded road leading to the city of Alcalá. The gate was completed in 1778 and is known for its ornamental details, which were sculpted by Francisco Gutiérrez and Roberto Michel, and constructed using white stone from Colmenar. The architectural elements, on the other hand, were made from granite sourced from Segovia.

The Plaza de Cibeles, located in Madrid, is a renowned square featuring an impressive neo-classical complex adorned with marble sculptures and fountains. It has come to represent the essence of the city. Situated at the convergence of Calle de Alcalá (east-west direction), Paseo de Recoletos (north), and Paseo del Prado (south), this square was originally known as Plaza de Madrid. However, in 1900, the City Council renamed it Plaza de Castelar, only to be eventually replaced by its current name.
The square is flanked by four notable buildings: the Bank of Spain Building, the Palacio de Buenavista, the Palace of Linares (also known as "Palacio de Linares"), and the Cybele Palace (also known as "Palacio de Cibeles"). These structures belong to distinct neighborhoods within three adjacent districts: Centro, Retiro, and Salamanca.
Throughout time, the Cybele Palace and its fountain have emerged as iconic landmarks of the city, symbolizing its rich heritage and cultural significance.

The Fountain of Cybele, also known as Fuente de Cibeles or La Cibeles, is an elegant neoclassical fountain located in Madrid, Spain. Situated at the heart of Plaza de Cibeles, this fountain features a captivating sculptural ensemble depicting Cybele, a revered deity associated with the earth and fertility in Phrygian mythology. Over the years, it has evolved into a symbolic representation of the city and has become one of its most renowned landmarks.

Located on Cibeles Square, the Telecommunications Palace, named the Cibeles Palace since 2011, is one of the most beautiful and functional buildings in Madrid. Initially, the building, executed in the Neo-Churrigueresque style characterized by an abundance of decorative details and a mixture of elements from several architectural directions, housed the main office of Spain's postal services. It was later replaced by the central office of the Universal Postal Union, and in 2007, it was taken over by the city's town hall. In 1993, the building was designated a Spanish cultural heritage site, after which the palace was converted into a multifunctional center open to visitors, where one can spend time beneficially by attending various cultural and entertainment events.

Plaza de España, which means 'Spain Square' in Spanish, is a vast square that serves as a beloved attraction for tourists. It is situated in the heart of Madrid, Spain, at the western terminus of the renowned Gran Vía. The square boasts a striking monument dedicated to the esteemed Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra and is conveniently located near two prominent skyscrapers that dominate Madrid's skyline. Furthermore, a brief stroll southwards from the plaza leads to the magnificent Royal Palace, known as the Palacio Real. Following an extensive two and a half years of renovation, the square joyfully reopened its doors to pedestrians on November 22, 2021.
The shootings depicted in Francisco de Goya's painting, "The Third of May 1808," took place in what is now known as the Plaza. During 1808, this area formed part of the Príncipe Pío hill and served as a site where French firing squads executed prisoners captured during the May 2nd uprising.