Prado’s exhibits the art gathered by the
Spanish royal family since the time of Ferdinand and Isabella. The centerpiece
of Prado's collection are its works by Spain's three great masters: Francisco Goya, Diego Velázquez,
and El Greco. The museum also holds masterpieces by Flemish, Dutch, German,
French, and Italian artists, collected when those lands were part of the
Spanish Empire. Better known pieces include Velazquez's "Las
Meninas", Fra Angelico's "The Annunciation" and "The Garden
of Earthly Delights" by Bosch. Goya’s very dark work from his "black
paintings" is also well represented.
Palacio Real
The Palacio Real is the official residence of the Spanish royal family,
though King Juan Carlos uses it for ceremonial occasions, preferring to live in
a slightly smaller palace on the outskirts of the city. The origin of the palace
goes back to the 9th Century when the Muslim kingdom
of Toledo constructed a fortress
later used the kings of Castile,
where in the 16th Century, the Old
Palace was constructed. When this
palace was destroyed in a fire in the 18th Century, the New
Palace was constructed entirely of
stone so that it could not be destroyed in a like manner. Rich materials, such
as Spanish marble, stuccos, and mahogany were used for the interior
decorations. The palace is richly
decorated by works by such artists as Velazquez, Tiepolo, Mengs, Gasparini,
Caravaggio, and Goya. The Royal Armory contains weapons dating back from the 13th
Century. The palace also contains the largest collection of Stradivarius musical instuments in the world,
including the only complete Stradivarius string quartet.
Catedral de la Almudena
Madrid's cathedral took over a
century to build, due to political wrangling, wars and a lack of financial
resources. According to legend, it's named after the Virgin de la Almudena,
whose icon was found during the Reconquest hidden in a house that the Arabs
called al mudena. The building's exterior is an example of eclectic, neogothic
19th-century design. The doors are bronze and there's an image of the Virgin, now
Madrid's patron saint, on the
facade. The interior is full of light, benefiting from the stained-glass
windows and multi-colored ceiling. The crypt, filled with interesting tombs,
some of them recent, is also worth a visit.