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Madrid’s Gran Via district is a fashionable boulevard lined with modern Art Deco buildings, upscale shops and an impressive theatre district that rivals Broadway for its varied international productions. Constructed from 1904 to 1929, the Gran Via was a massive redevelopment project, connecting Calle de Alcalá to the Plaza de España through the center of the City. Since its completion, it has become a popular destination for locals and tourists for its many grand hotels, shopping, theatres and restaurants set in an Art Deco ambience straight from the Jazz age of the 1920s.

The Architecture - When walking along the wide pedestrian walkways of the Gran Via, one is reminded of the surreal urban landscapes of a Wim Wenders’ film. The architects designed early twentieth century buildings in stunning, ornate modern designs ranging from Art Deco and Romanesque to decidedly American styles.

Perhaps the most iconic structure in Madrid is the Edificio Metrópolis or Metropolis building located at the start of the Gran Via. Completed in 1911 by architects Jules and Raymond Février in a French Romanesque design, it has evolved into the most famous landmark of the Gran Via. The Metropolis features grandiose Corinthian columns, statuary and a massive dome adorned with 24 Carat gold leaves and crowned with a winged statue of Victory.

Other buildings of note are the: Telefónica building, Madrid’s, first skyscraper designed by Ignacio de Cárdenas and Lewis Weeks in 1929, the Carrión Building or the Capital, designed by Luis Martínez-Feduchi and Vicente Eced in an elaborate amphitheatre style and the Palacio de la Prensa or Press Palace, designed by Pedro Muguruza Otaño with an ornate Art Deco façade.

The Theatres - Any visitor to Madrid must take in a film or a play in one of the many ornate, old world theatres lining the Gran Via. The Plaza del Callao is the epicenter of the Gran Via’s theatre district featuring avant-garde buildings housing Broadway style plays and movie cinemas displaying artistic movie posters. The Teatro Gran Via is an old style cinema house showing the latest films in an elaborate structure with chandeliers and an ornate balcony. The Palacio de la Música, designed by architect Secundino Zuazo Ugalde in a stunning Baroque and Art Deco style, is worth a visit for the interior décor.

Where is Gran Via: Gran Via

How to get to Gran Via: By Subway to Plaza de España, Santo Domingo, Callao, Gran Via stations




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