A real Spanish "Versailles", one of the most beautiful royal palaces in Europe, built in the XVII century. The magnificent Campo del Moro gardens are located on the west side of the complex. During the reign of dictator Franco, the palace was nationalized, so the royal family no longer lives here, but only arranges official receptions. The rest of the time the building is open to tourists.

One of the main squares of the Spanish capital is the Plaza de Cibeles. There is a monumental fountain of the XVIII century and a palace built at the beginning of the XX century. Since 2007, the building has been the residence of the mayor of the city. In the past centuries, citizens took drinking water from the fountain, and the palace building served as the main post office throughout the XX century. Nowadays Plaza de Cibeles is a popular place among tourists and residents of Madrid.

Two skyscrapers-towers on the Plaza de Castilla, built at an angle of 15 ° to the surface of the base. The buildings were designed by American architects D. Berge and F. Johnson in 1996. The towers reach 114 meters in height and accommodate 25 floors, private helipads are located on the roofs. This landmark has become a symbol of modern Madrid.

One of the main thoroughfares of the capital, as well as the main "walking street" for local residents. In the evenings, especially on weekends, hundreds of townspeople come here for the famous Spanish "march" — a long walk from bar to bar (there are plenty of these establishments on Gran Via), during which you can chat, meet friends, drink a glass of wine and join the cheerful crowd of other idlers.

The central square of Madrid, from where most of the famous tourist routes start. Plaza Mayor appeared in the XVII century during the reign of Philip III. Since then, important state events have taken place here: executions, bullfights, coronations of Spanish kings, public holidays and the formidable courts of the Inquisition. Nowadays, street artists, artists and curious onlookers gather on the square.

The name of the place translates from Spanish as "gate of the sun". Here is the famous symbol of Madrid – a bear propping up a strawberry tree. In the middle of the square there is a monument to Charles III. The Puerta del Sol is always full of people. Here, sellers of the Christmas lottery get lost in groups of Chinese tourists with huge cameras, and shopaholics run from one store to another in search of discounts.

A green area in the city limits, a favorite place for Madrid people to walk. There are many picturesque alleys, fountains, buildings of the past centuries in the park. Citizens come here with whole families on weekends to eat ice cream or take a boat ride on a small lake. Translated from Spanish, the name of the park sounds like "good solitude".

An extensive park area, somewhat remote from the central quarters of Madrid. In the past, there were royal hunting grounds here. The park has a large zoo with an aquarium and dolphins, as well as an amusement area with dozens of slides, mazes and other carousels. There is also a whole street of Paseo de Gastronomy restaurants for hungry visitors.

An invaluable collection of works of art, surpassing even the Louvre in Paris in value. Outstanding representatives of Spanish painting are exhibited here: Velasquez, Goya, El Greco Murillo. The Prado Museum owns extensive collections of Italian painters and paintings by masters of the Flemish school. The expositions were opened to the public in 1819.

It is one of the "golden" three art galleries of the Spanish capital, together with the Thyssen-Bornemisza and Prado museums. The exposition was opened in 1992. in the former building of the metropolitan hospital. The art Center was named after the Spanish Queen Sofia. The place is famous for the fact that there is a rich collection of works of modern art. The most famous painting is "Guernica" by the grandiose Pablo Picasso.

Until 1993, the museum was a private collection of the Thyssen-Bornemisza family, then it was bought by the state. Here are paintings by artists who were "overlooked" in the Prado and the Reina Sofia Art Center. Works by Italian primitivists, Russian constructivists, Dutch and English painters are exhibited on a permanent basis. There are also many masterpieces in the style of pop art and geometric abstraction.

A museum dedicated to the discovery of the American continent. There are no analogues in all of Europe. It houses collections demonstrating the history and way of life of the indigenous population of America before the Spanish conquest. Visitors can look at weapons, household items, clothing, objects of religious worship of Indian tribes. The conquistadors' weapons and samples of colonial art are also on display.

The largest collection of written and printed exhibits in the country: books, maps, prints, brochures, magazines, musical scores, posters. The library appeared during the reign of King Philip II at the beginning of the XVIII century. The funds were constantly replenished by providing a copy of each printed work published in the country for storage. Over three centuries of existence, the library has accumulated 26 million samples.

The main opera stage of the capital, has existed since the middle of the XIX century. As a result of wars and revolutionary events, the theater repeatedly lost its functions and alternately served as a barracks, a warehouse, or a building for parliamentary meetings. In 1977, the stage was returned to its original function, in 1997 only operas and other musical works were staged here.

The monumental and majestic Cathedral of Madrid, where magnificent public services are held and a festive mass is served. The temple is dedicated to the Virgin Mary of Almudena, the patron saint of the Spanish capital. The foundation stone was laid by King Alfonso XII in 1884. The cathedral was finally completed only by the end of the XX century. The architecture of the building is a mixture of neoclassical and Baroque elements.

The monastery is located about an hour's drive from Madrid at the foot of the Sierra Nevada ridge. The harsh fortress served as the residence of the Spanish kings. Construction lasted from 1563 to 1584 . Despite the strict and rather simple appearance, the interior of the palace impresses with splendor and luxury. The ashes of all Spanish monarchs, starting with Charles V., rest here.

An active monastery of the XVI century in the city limits of Madrid, located near the Puerta del Sol square. The monastery gave shelter to women from noble families who fled under its arches from the hated and imposed relatives of the suitors. Thanks to the rich dowry of failed brides, the monastery quickly became one of the richest in all of Europe. In one of the parts of the monastery there is a museum of painting.

An ancient Egyptian temple, which is about 2000 years old. Originally intended for the worship of the god Amon, then became the center of the cult of the goddess Isis. The temple was donated to Spain by the Egyptian authorities as a sign of gratitude for the rescue of historical relics damaged during the construction of the Aswan Dam. The structure was disassembled into stones, transported to Madrid and installed in the Western Park.

They are located on Independence Square in the center of the capital. The structure is made in neoclassical style, has three large and two small spans on the sides. The facade is decorated with a sculptural group and an inscription, where the name of Charles III is immortalized. In the XVII century, the road to Alcala de Henares passed through the gate. The monument became one of the symbols of the modernization of Madrid in the era of Charles III.

The main and largest railway station in Spain, from where high-speed trains depart to all regions of the country, as well as commuter trains. The building consists of two terminals. In the old terminal of the XIX century there is a tropical garden, cafes, shops and entertainment establishments, the new one is used for its intended purpose for the departure and arrival of trains.

An arena designed for the famous Spanish national bullfighting show. Bullfights are held here every Sunday from May to October, and from April to November you can visit the bullfighting museum. The venue is also quite often used for concerts and festivals. The structure appeared at the beginning of the XX century to replace the old building located in the city center.

The home arena of the popular Real Madrid football club. You can get to the stadium with an excursion, during which visitors will be able to learn about the history of the team, explore the Trophy Room, look into the locker room and sit in the stands. The arena can accommodate up to 80 thousand spectators. On the opening day of the stadium in 1947, Real Madrid played with Portuguese Belenenses and won 3-1.

A shopping area or, more precisely, a flea market where you can buy interesting things – from antique furniture and musical instruments to sweets, rare books, clothes. The market is open on Sundays in the La Latina quarter. It is often visited not only by tourists, but also by locals, as rare and necessary mechanisms and parts are often sold on the market.

Gastronomic market near the Plaza Mayor. A bright metropolitan attraction, where tourists rush to taste various Spanish tapas snacks. Here you can taste fresh oysters with a glass of champagne or delicious jamon flavored with herbs and spices. You can try delicacies endlessly, as each counter offers something of its own.

An amusement city in the suburbs of Madrid, occupying an area of 55 hectares. Here you can have a wonderful rest with children. The park is divided into several zones: Hollywood Boulevard (main alley), the world of superheroes, cartoon city, wild West, film studio. Each zone is unique and interesting, exciting performances are arranged everywhere, and there are fun attractions.