Cultural Attractions Of Madrid

By Author: Bonny Kominek
Total Articles: 230
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Madrid is the capital of Spain, and after a long and varied history has developed into a vibrant and stylish city. Here are a few of the cultural highlights...

Madrid is home to some of the finest art galleries in Europe. The Museo Del Prado is perhaps the most well known, and is home to famous works by Velazquez and Goya.

The Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza is the favourite of many art lovers, and is comprised of a private collection of art that is the second largest in the world. The collection features art from different periods and styles across Europe.

The third museum in this ''Golden Triangle of Art'' that sits, like the other two, on the Paseo del Prado (a large boulevard and major thoroughfare of the city) is the Reina Sofia Museum. The Reina Sofia is the national museum of 20th century art in Spain, and contains a celebration of Spanish art. Famous works by Picasso and Salvador Dali attract millions of visitors each year.

The architecture of the three galleries/ museums that makes up the golden triangle is as striking as some of the exhibits inside, and this is true of many of the grand buildings ...
... in Madrid. General Franco continued the construction of imposing physical statements of power that had been ongoing for hundreds of years, an undertaking by the Spanish Royal Family over the centuries to express the power, sophistication and refinement of the seat of royal power through grandiose and imposing imperial and civic structures.

The Royal Palace of Madrid (Palacio Real de Madrid)is a fine example of this tradition; not as idiosyncratic, creative and surreal as some of the celebrated architecture of Barcelona, and more in keeping with formal elegance displayed in Royal buildings elsewhere in Europe.

When you have finished touring art galleries by day, you will find that the city comes alive by night. Madrid is deservedly famous for its nightlife, and is truly a city that never sleeps, with many of the bars and clubs open all night long. The locals, it appears, do not seem to need to sleep!

Madrid has a large city centre, and within this is a good selection of accommodation catering for a range of budgets. Researching this is fairly easy; try sites like Octopus Travel to get an idea of the popular Madrid hotels on offer. Bonny Kominek is an experienced travel writer who has travelled extensively around Europe and recommends Octopustravel.com for Madrid hotels.