Central Madrid began to take on its present appearance in the mid-19th century with the modernization of Puerta del Sol. This busy intersection was the first to have electric street lighting, trams and, in 1919, Madrid’s first underground station. Meanwhile Calle de Alcalá was becoming the focal point of a new financial district as banks, insurance offices and other businesses set up their headquarters in showy new premises. Building work on the Gran Vía began in 1910 but was only completed in the 1940s with the remodelling of Plaza de España. To make way for this sweeping Parisian-style boulevard, 1,315 m (1,440 yds) long and designed with automobile traffic in mind, more than 300 buildings were demolished and 14 streets disappeared altogether. The new avenue reflected the American architectural tastes of the jazz age, with skyscrapers, cinemas, glitzy cocktail bars, luxury hotels, theatres and restaurants.
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FeriarteMadrid's annual art fair - Feriarte - has been running for over 30 years. The enticing selection of objets d'art, furniture and jewellery at the IFEMA should tempt everyone from antique lovers to... Read more
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Rembrandt: History PainterMadrid's star exhibition for autumn/winter 2008 is Rembrandt: History Painter (Historias de Rembrandt). The collection at The Prado Museum features 35 paintings and prints by the Dutch... Read more
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Madrid CarnivalIf you can't make it out as far as the Canary Islands, don't worry - Madrid's carnival may not be the most raucous, but it certainly finishes in style. Read more
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Madrid International Fashion WeekTwice a year, the Parque Ferial Juan Carlos I (IFEMA) in Madrid hosts the Madrid International Fashion Week (SIMM), the most important female fashion exhibition in the country. Read more
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