A Walk in Madrid

29 August 2002

A bit of spare time on a business trip to Madrid gave Stephen the opportunity for a walk around part of the city.

The Edificio Villaneuva, the original and main building of the Museo del Prado, considered to be one of the world's great museums, housing masterpieces by Bosch, Goya, El Greco, Murillo, Rubens, Titian, Vélazquez and Zurbarán.

To the east of the city centre runs a series of linked tree-lined boulevards - this is the Paseo del Prado - ten lanes of traffic with trees down the middle, but remarkably quiet today.

The boulevards are linked by large plazas with fountains - this is the Plaza Canovas del Castillo

In the Plaza de la Lealtad an obelisk dedicated to the local heroes who died on 2 May 1808 in the revolt against the French.

On the edge of the Plaza de la Lealtad is the Bolsa, the Madrid stock exchange

The fountain Fuente de la Cibeles in the Plaza de la Cibeles

The Puerta de Alcalá was built by Carlos III in the mid-18th century to be a grand entrance to the city, and is considered the symbol of Madrid.

Palacio de Comunicaciones, perhaps the most glamorous post office in the world.

The statue of Felipe III looking north across the Plaza Mayor. The square was rebuilt in 1617, under Felipe III, designed to hold events including bullfights, theatre and festivals. The building in the centre of the picture, the Casa de la Pandería, dates from 1590, but the attractive murals were only added in 1992.

Looking east in the Plaza Mayor to some of the many cafes.

The view of the Paseo del Prado from the hotel bedroom

Later, a gathering of my colleagues from around Europe. Enrico (Spain) points something out to us, while Alfonso (Italy), Rick (Europe), Susanne (Europe), Marie-Anne (France), Stephen (UK) and Ann-Marie (Denmark) listen.

Anne-Marie, Sophie (Europe) and Klaudia (Germany) in the Plaza Mayor.