After a week long art and architectural feast in Spain, I have a lot to share; from Goya to Picasso, from Santiago Calatrava to Antonio Gaudi!

Let’s start with Madrid, the capital. Normally, capital cities are too stiff and bureaucratic for my taste. Madrid has its own share of government buildings; however, its historical buildings, museums, squares and parks create a balanced combination.

One of my favorite places to just sit down and relax is the Plaza Mayor which is Madrid’s main square. It is located right in the center of the city. The construction of this building and its colorful facade of frescoes, as seen on the first photo, was initiated in 1590 and it has been renovated several times over the years, most recently when the frescoes were repainted with designs by Carlos Franco, in 1992.

The Museo del Prado El Prado is one of the most visited sites in the world, and it is considered to be among the greatest museums of art. The building was designed in 1785 by the architect Juan de Villanueva in order to house the Natural History Cabinet. Upon the deposition of Isabella II  in 1868, the museum was nationalized and acquired the new name of “Museo del Prado”. The two artists who are best represented in the Prado are Velázquez and Goya. The Goya collection is very rich, comprising more than 140 paintings. I have spent so much in front of Goya paintings, and when I got back to Zurich I found books on Goya and started to read his life which is quite interesting.

The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía is dedicated to Spanish art. As you walk around the museum, you will see a lot of recognized art pieces, such as Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, Juan Gris, Joan Miró, Julio González and many other significant artists. The central building of the museum was an 18th century hospital. The high ceilings create a great drama and space. An 8000 m2 expansion designed by French architect Jean Nouvel opened October 2005.

To read more on “Architecture – Spanish style” go to the next post.

Photos by © Remzi Gokdag. Click to see more photos of Madrid.