Sightseeing in Madrid

A giant amongst art galleries

This imposingly-structured museum stands proudly on Paseo del Prado, inside the Villanueva building, a construction ordered by Charles III of Villanueva at the end of the 19th century to act as the headquarters of the Gabinete de Historia Natural.

However, when this initiative failed, it was Fernand VII who decided to set up the Museo Real de Escultura y Pintura (The Royal Sculpture and Painting Museum) here, opening it to the public in 1819.

The basic collection comprises sculptures, paintings, drawings, engravings, coinage, medals and other decorative art forms, making this one of the most significant collections of its kind.

The most remarkable part has to be the selection of Spanish paintings, the most comprehensive in the whole world, a collection that covers everything from the 11th to 18th century.

Artists from the Spanish school such as Velázquez, Murillo, Zurbarán, Ribera and Goya are represented in the rooms of this museum, along with members of other European schools of art, such as Rubens, Botticelli, Raphaël, Titian, and Poussin.

Within the walls of this building you'll discover magnificent works of universal historical and artistic importance, including Velázquez's "Ménines", Goya's "Maja Desnuda" and Bosco's "Jardin des Délices".

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Museo del Prado: Practical Information

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• Painting & sculpture museum

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The main monuments of Madrid

The Spanish capital is one of the most attractive cities in Spain. Situated in the centre of the country, it owes its tourism to its cultural and historical patrimony. Continue