The Metropolis Building is defined by its rounded slate cupola covered in thirty thousand leaves of twenty-four carat gold. Located at the corner of Calle de Alcalá and Gran Vía, this Beaux-Arts structure stands forty-five meters high.…
The Gran Via Walk
This walk takes you down Madrid's famous boulevard to trace its architectural evolution and theater history.
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1. Metropolis Building
2. Edificio Grassy
The Edificio Grassy is defined by its triangular footprint and the circular stone tower at its corner, which is crowned by two stacked, open-air belvederes. Completed in nineteen seventeen by architect Eladio Laredo y Carranza, the…
3. Edificio Matesanz
The Edificio Matesanz is distinguished by its rounded corner and a series of crystal bay windows that rise above the street level, framed by large granite pilasters. Completed in nineteen twenty-three and designed by the architect Antonio…
4. Telefónica Building
The Telefónica Building rises eighty-nine meters above the Gran Vía, identifiable by its imposing central tower and the large clock positioned near its peak. Completed in nineteen twenty-nine, it was the first true skyscraper in Madrid and…
5. Palacio de la Prensa
The Palacio de la Prensa stands out on the Gran Vía for its distinct facade of exposed brick and its massive central tower that rises over fifty-eight meters. Completed in nineteen twenty-eight, this pentagonal structure was designed by…
6. Cine Callao
The Cine Callao is defined by two massive digital screens mounted to its exterior facade, which frequently display vivid, large-scale imagery above the bustling Plaza del Callao. Designed by the architect Luis Gutiérrez Soto, the building…
7. Rialto Theatre
The Rialto Theatre stands at number fifty-four on the Gran Vía, identifiable by its classic marquee and history as the longest-active theater on this famous street. Built between nineteen twenty-six and nineteen thirty by architects José…
8. Teatro Lope de Vega
The Teatro Lope de Vega stands on Gran Vía with a capacity for one thousand four hundred fifty-six guests spread across three distinct levels. Built between nineteen forty-six and nineteen forty-seven, the structure carries the name of a…
9. Teatro Coliseum
The Teatro Coliseum on Gran Via is marked by a narrow, stark facade that defies the monumental scale of the buildings surrounding it. Inaugurated in nineteen thirty-two, the theater was the project of composer Jacinto Guerrero, who worked…