# Madrid: almost all the styles in one city



## madridhere (Oct 10, 2005)

A few more pix:

The gardens of the Royal Palace:










The interior of the Royal Palace:




















Thanks to Gutoo






































Four towers of 250 meters built at the same time, something not common in Europe:










(This pix was taken by Israel Bermejo, thanks to him)

Museo del Prado and surroundings:
























































Our brand new airport, by Richard Rogers and Antonio Lamela:








































Highways around the city:




















Thanks to Pedro for the last 2 pix.










Thanks to Ecthelion

Some zombies (sorry, I don´t know the name of the owner of the picture)




























Thanks to lau ofr the last picture.

Puerta del Sol:










Plaza de Santa Ana:










European Gay Pride in Madrid:




























Madrid is a 24 hour city and never stops at night.






















Reina Sofia Museum of Modern Art, by Jean Nouvel



















Thanks to Patraix for this picture.












Thanks to m3c


Probably Madrid has some of the best art museums of the world, for people who like art (Prado, Thyssen and Reina Sofía).

Museo Thyssen:










Puerta del Sol:










Parque del Retiro:










Thanks to mauro





















Other things about Madrid: The economy is very strong now, the unemployment is technically unexistent (6%) amd people who comes always have a lot of fun because you can find lots of discos, good food and nice peple. So enjoy Madrid!


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## Canadian Chocho (May 18, 2006)

I really want to go there!! I can just picture having THE perfect day in Madrid.


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## JAVICUENCA (Dec 27, 2004)

Wwwwwwoooowwwww, thanks or your pix, Madridhere, they are beautiful.

Still, I think that the best of Madrid is the energy of the people in the streets, always crowded! It would be lovely to have some pix of it, if you can. Thanks again.


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## steph35 (Apr 28, 2006)

good collection of pics !! 

i add some of mine, if you want to see more, just click here => http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=479666


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## fredcalif (Dec 3, 2003)

Beautiful Madrid and it is only getting better


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## Joe 2007 (Mar 10, 2007)

Great Pictures! Madrid looks so beatiful! It must surely be one of the most under-rated Cities in the world. In England all you ever see pictures of in the brochures is Barcelona, and the seaside resorts. They look great aswell, but I think Madrid looks better.


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## david chanrion (Oct 4, 2002)

Nice serie of pix , tha,s !!
Yes Madrid would deserve to be better known, and it's becoming the case. Probably suffered during a long time of being overshadowed by the Barcelona- mania


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## BiH-x (Jul 22, 2007)

> It must surely be one of the most under-rated Cities in the world.


Very true, IMO Madrid beats most European capitals in terms of beauty, or at least is up there, yet its horribly underrated.


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## madridhere (Oct 10, 2005)

It is true that Madrid can be underrated, but at the same time in the last years its full of tourists, and each year getting 10% or more of increasing.

The thing is that Barcelona had the Olimpic Games in 92 and it improved substancially the city. Madrid still looked good, but needed this modernization that is getting now, in the last years. As often happens in Spain, everything is being done at the same time, after some years of doing very little. For example: new airport, new museums (Museo del Prado´s extension will be opened in October too, and a big Cultural Space will be open near too in 2008), extension of the tube (300 kms already done), some new hotels, 2 theatres, 4 skyscrapers of 250 meters, two new arenas and, above all, a park of 5kms. long along the river, where there used to be a highway which is now under the earth. This new park will be ready in the next years, but the road under the earth -the mos difficult part-is already done. 

The thing is that a part of the people used to complain because there are so 
many constructions that it was very difficult to drive in the city. But now people is much happier because they can see the results. 

Trying to be objective about my city, I would say that Madrid is already a very interesting city to visit, with a lot of life in the streets, restaurants, discos, and everywhere. But its becoming more interesting each time because there are permanently new things finished (soon the four skyscrapers).

I don´t want to feed this stupid rivalry with Barcelona, but I would say that Madrid is a good metropoli, and Barcelona is a good city. Each one has its qualities, but many people are surprised for the economic power, the big size, the intense cultural life and the great activity of Madrid. When you walk a little here, you realize that everywhere there are new neighborhoods, new highways, more population, and a healthy look to the global world and a balanced fusion with the inmigrants. 

And the most important thing of all: its a city where you feel free. Everybody is welcome in general. It´s like London or New York, for example, where nobody cares about the origin of the people living here.

Well, sorry for talikng so much. 

Thanks for your comments, guys. 

Now Madrid is cheap with the low cost flyes, you can come whenever you like!


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## madridhere (Oct 10, 2005)

More pix:

Paseo de la Castellana, a high view:










Thanks to Lau

The National Library










Plaza Mayor:











A hotel:










Carlinhos Brown Carnival at Paseo de la Castellana:



















Atocha´s Train Station by Moneo:










Thanks to Jetairliner












A park in the outskirts:





























The tube:


















A church:



















Gran Vía, always full of people buying:















































Thanks to Met ofr the last picture.

Tall buildings fo the 70´s and 80´s. The white one is Torre Picasso (150m), it used to be the tallest unitl the four new ones of 250 m. 










Here you can see the four new towers at the bottom of th picture:










Paseo de la Castellana:



















Two new offices:




















Our four new colossus:



















A statue near Parque del Retiro:










People shopping:























































Public dwellings biult by the Town Hall:










A park:










A hospital by Moneo:



















Havintg a beer:


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## Peshu (Jan 12, 2005)

Lovely pics of a lovely and architecturally under-rated city . I think Barcelona is a much better known city around the world due to a number of factors . 
1). its incomparable geographic position . 
2). It has the sea and its port .
2).Its unique Gaudi architecture . My brother is an architect and says that Barcelona is a very important reference point amongst his peers .
4). Millions of tourists that visit la costa Brava and la costa Dorada .
5).The English speaking media has always elevated Barcelona as one of the worlds great cities .
6). It is a much more historic city then Madrid . With one of the biggest Gothic quarters in Europe .
7). Again . If one looks at the English speaking media it generally doesn't have too many nice words about Madrid . Hence you get alot of dickheads that stop over there for aday and night without leaving their hotel which in turn come back home thinking they have confirmed the fact that Madrid is nothing else but the Prado . It's amazing what sensationalist media can do to people .
8). Unlike Catalanes the majority of Madrlenios are more proud of the little village they come from then Madrid itself . Although this seems to be changing some what .
9). Up until recently Barcelona was Spains economic engine .

And unlike some that quote that Barcelonas fame and fortune has to do with the Barcelona olympics . Sorry amigo mio . No way Jose . Barcelona has been Spains best known city for decades .
These are not my thoughts . As i believe Madrid to be an awesome place . I lived in both Madrid and Barcelona . And i can say that Barcelona impresses alot more at first sight . Madrid is a city that reveals itself more slowly . But as far as i'm concerned . When you get to know both cities well you realise that it's in Madrid where you get that Spanish vibe of enjoying life to the full . Madrid has a street scene and nightlife un-matched in any other city you wish to mention . The shopping is awesome . The restaurant and Tapas scene is by far the best in the country. Plus it is also home to the biggest football club in the world . And at last they are constructing so many enormous projects that are beggining to get international raves in all of the worlds mediia . 
So go and see Madrid . But don't go there with the misconception that it is nothing more then an administrative capital as is the case with Canberra or Brasilia . And don't just go and visit the Prado as great a museum as it is . Go there with an open mind and with plenty of research . Only then will you discover a city with an energy and dynamism like no other city on earth . New York is dead at night in comparison . So much for the city that doesn't sleep . Immerse yourselfs in Madrids wonderfull shopping and Tapas scene . Admire it's unbelievable Public trdansport especially its unrground . 
Then you will go back home knowing that you have visited what is truly one of the worlds greatest cities . I just came back a couple of weeks ago and am totally convinced that it is improving as a city to visit and livee-in at an enormous pace ( something could be done about that horrible grafitti thjough) . 
P.s Unlike Catalanes , Madrlenios are terrible at publicity hno:


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## Peshu (Jan 12, 2005)

Another major prblem with Madrid is in the movies . Directors such as Pedro Almodovar make nothing but films that depict Madrid as one huge , horrible waste--land inhabited by drug-ridden deviates . 
Just look at movies filmed in say LOndon . Always showing the nice bits when it in fact has as many or more horrible suburbs as Madrid . But that's propaganda for you and one has to take of their hats to the English . Maybe the Spanish tourist board should employ some British c.e.o to promote Madrid . As for a city to have existed as the capital of one of the largest empires ever assembled and to be virtually un-known doesn't say too much about its citizens .


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## Sky_Line (May 19, 2007)

Peshu said:


> 9). Up until recently Barcelona was Spains economic engine .


*Are you sure? 
I bet that Madrid is the first engine of SPAIN for a long time not Barcelona.*
PD: I'm not all sure but I think so.


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## Joe 2007 (Mar 10, 2007)

I agree that Madrid could probably do with a few movies using it's beautiful parks, squares and streets as a backdrop. I fell in love with Paris as a youngster through watching films using it's streets and buildings as a backdrop, and many people would probably fall in love with Madrid in the same way.


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## willo (Jan 3, 2005)

^^some scenes of the third movie of Jason Bourne has been shot in Madrid,but the city needs more


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## coquito (Jul 22, 2005)

xote said:


> truly one of the worlds most unknown cities.


I didn't get this comment! How come one of the world's most unknown cities? I thought Spain is the second or third country that is most visited and a big part of those tourist go to Madrid.


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## CORLEONE (Jun 15, 2007)

SOME PICS FROM TODAY ON TOP OF THE "TORRE METROPOLITANA"


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## madridhere (Oct 10, 2005)

Sky_Line said:


> *Are you sure?
> I bet that Madrid is the first engine of SPAIN for a long time not Barcelona.*
> PD: I'm not all sure but I think so.



I have told before that I don´t want to feed this stupid rivalry between Madrid and Barcelona. 

I tell you one thing, Skyline: DOn´t believe anybody that tells you something is black for one place and white for another. The truth is that for many things the grey exists. 

In fact Madrid is one of the most dinamic economic regions of europe at this moment, but it is also true that in Spain many regions are very dinamic, like Catalonia, Comunidad Valenciana, País Vasco, Murcia, Baleares and many more. SO simplifications should never be belived, I think. There is not only one engine in Spain but many at the same time, luckily.


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## madridhere (Oct 10, 2005)

coquito said:


> I didn't get this comment! How come one of the world's most unknown cities? I thought Spain is the second or third country that is most visited and a big part of those tourist go to Madrid.


YOu are absolutely right. 

I think that some people doesn´t know exactly the reality about this. 

The most visited city in Spain is Madrid, quite clearly. 

The most visited region is Catalonia, quite clearly, and near after it, the Canary Islands and Andalucía, specially for the beaches. 

The tourism in Madrid is mainly cultural and for business. Now with the low cost flights, there are coming more students and people like that. Madrid is the place where the foreign tourists spend more money per day, and also the place with more 5 stars hotels. anyway, evreybody has fun in Madrid, students, rich Japanese who visit the museums or whoever.

The places with beaches in Spain are very popular for tourists, but in general they spend less there. All the Spanish coasts are full of Germans and British proletariats and Italian hippies. I say it with total respect.

This distribution is not bad for any of the places, it´s simply like that. Madrid will never have a sea, so it needs to attract other kind of tourists and the city is doing it very good. It´s a combination of businessmen, young people who want to have fun, and cultivated people who like art and good architecture and food. 

Not all of them come from Europe, many come from the USA and Japan also.


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## Peshu (Jan 12, 2005)

Sky_Line said:


> *Are you sure?
> I bet that Madrid is the first engine of SPAIN for a long time not Barcelona.*
> PD: I'm not all sure but I think so.


 Madrid has certainly converted itself into Spains premiere city in the last fifteen years . Before this period Barcelona was number one . Catalonia was the first region to absorb the industrial revolution while for a long period Madrid was thought to be not much else then the administrative capital .
When one has travelled extensively like i have you get to open your eyes . One of the first things i wanted to do when i went back to Madrid a few weeks ago was get myself a few architectural books on Madrid which i am very fond of . As very good books on Madrid with-in English speaking countries are very hard to come by . Yet You can get books on Barcelona and its architecture and culture where ever you want .
Barcelona alongside Paris , Amstredam , London , Viena and prague will be published as a city by virtually all popular book publishers . Go to websites such as www.virtualtourist.com and all these cities are always described as the most popular searches . I know it's just one website but try it with just about any other website at least with-in the English speaking world .
Things have changed somewhat thankfully although not as much as it should . I can assure you that the most famous thing to have come out in these parts is by far Real Madrid . Whene-ever i try to convince somebody that they made a big mistake by visiting Barcelona yet not Madrid they look at me as if i'm some type of morron . 
When you have a beautiful plaza like the Cibeles fountain and it is nowhere near known asTrafalger square ( much uglier by the way ). Then this obviously suggests that the Madrilenios just don't know how to promote their city .


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