Gran Vía and the Edificio Metrópolis: The Broadway of Madrid
Why is it significant?
Stand at the fork of Gran Vía and Calle de Alcalá and gaze upon the breathtaking round slate tower of the Edificio Metrópolis.
Key Facts
| Place | Gran Vía and the Edificio Metrópolis: The Broadway of Madrid |
|---|---|
| Address | Calle de Alcalá 39, 28014 Madrid, Spain |
| Geo Coordinates | 40.41880, -3.69830 |
| Part of Walk | Heart of Madrid: Royal Palace, Plaza Mayor, and Gran Vía |
| Generated | Generated |
Stand at the fork of Gran Vía and Calle de Alcalá and gaze upon the breathtaking round slate tower of the Edificio Metrópolis. Crowned by a gilded black dome and a six-meter bronze statue of Winged Victory glistening against the Madrid blue sky, this Belle Époque palace is the undisputed photographic symbol of modern Madrid.
Carved through the dense historic city between nineteen ten and nineteen twenty-nine by order of King Alfonso the Thirteenth, Gran Vía demolished more than three hundred buildings and fifty ancient streets to create an American-style showcase avenue of department stores, grand cinemas, and jazz-age hotels.
During the Spanish Civil War, foreign war correspondents including Ernest Hemingway, Martha Gellhorn, and George Orwell lodged at the nearby Hotel Florida, watching artillery shells streak across the sky along what terrified locals called Howitzer Avenue.
Take in the roaring symphony of traffic, theater marquees, and golden sunset light reflecting off limestone cornices. You have conquered the vibrant, royal heart of Madrid.