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CONSORCIO TURÍSTICO DE MADRID S.A.

Jorge Juan, 35 • 28001 Madrid • Tel.: +34 91 426 15 16 • Fax: +34 91 426 42 56 • www.turismomadrid.es
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THE WALK OF THE ARTS

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MADRID
YOUR WORLD
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THE WALK OF THE ARTS

In Madrid, the tourist itinerary par excellence calls at three museums of international renown: the
Prado Museum, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection and the Reina Sofía National Art Centre. They
house the largest collection of paintings in the capital city of Madrid, which is destined to be a
reference point in the world's cultural scene.

The three museums share a common element, i.e., the fact that they are situated inside originally
civil buildings that, after a great many changes, were subsequently adapted to the cultural purposes
they have nowadays. These buildings were involved in a great urban development action started
under the reign of Charles III, whereby the king aimed to provide the capital of his various kingdoms
with an urban and monumental space.

Therefore, the area, boasting of a wealth of trees, was decorated with fountains, monuments and
imposing and exceptional buildings to be used for scientific purposes, an ever-present concern for
the Enlightened of the times. Thanks to that, now we can enjoy within the so-called Walk of the Arts
the presence of historic monuments and places, such as the fountains of Neptune and Cybele, the
gate of Alcalá, the House of the Americas, the magnificent buildings housing the Post Office and
the Central Bank of Spain, Retiro Park, the Monastery of the Hieronymite Order, the Royal Botanical
Garden, Atocha Railway Station and the Spanish House of Parliament. It is also in this area that the
most elegant hotels in Madrid are found.
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THE PRADO MUSEUM

The project for the Natural History museum, as it was known at the time, was approved by King
Charles III in 1785, and works started a short time later. Villanueva designed a long building,
following the axis of a luminous gallery finished and cut in the middle by three elements with a
bigger volume: two cubes at both ends of the gallery and a central building with a basilica-like plan.
The north cube was arranged round a rotunda, with beautiful Ionic columns, and a semi-circular
vault with panels for the main floor and a crypt on the ground floor. The south cube was arranged
round a patio. As for the main body, which Villanueva designed for meetings and sessions held by
Natural History academics and scholars, it was clearly a reproduction of the Roman basilica plan,
long and finished with a curve apse.

The collection of paintings is organized into three main sets: paintings from royal collections (slightly
over three thousand), paintings from the merger with the Museum of the Trinity (slightly over two
thousand) and the fund called "New Acquisitions" (over three thousand five-hundred), which is the
main base and contains works from early acquisitions made by the Prado Museum and the
Museum of the Trinity, while it existed, to the latest acquisitions.

The works of a great many artists of universal fame - El Greco, Ribera, Zurbarán, Velázquez, Murillo,
Goya, Van der Weyden, Rubens, Titian, Bosch - are found in the Prado Museum, one of the main
museums worldwide for the quality and variety of its funds. Moreover, the Museum houses a
splendid collection of classical sculptures, art objects, coins, medals and jewels, like those
belonging to the Dauphin's Treasure.
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THYSSEN-BORNEMISZA COLLECTION
The Collection is housed in an old neoclassic palace, the Palace of Villahermosa. This palace
dates back to the urban development plans of king Charles III, a monarch of the Age of
Enlightenment. Originally, the site was bought by a Court painter that built himself a big house.
When the Prado Room became the trendy venue for Madrid's élite in the 18th century, the Duke
of Villahermosa bought the house, had it pulled down and designed a new project in accordance
with the new architectural criteria typical of French Neoclassicism. At present, the building
houses a private collection, definitely assigned to the capital of Spain in 1993, which is
considered to be quite important as it contains a sample representation covering a long period
of time.

With close to 1,000 paintings, the collection offers visitors a walk down the history of European
painting from its early beginnings in the 13th century to the last years of the 20th century.
Through a chronological-stylistic tour, visitors can follow the main movements and currents of
western painting, starting with the early Italians and reaching the late surrealism and the
development of pop art in the 1960's, together with the survival of the figurative tradition of
our times.

Exhibited in four rooms, the collection of American paintings from the 19th century is also
exceptional, as it is practically unknown in Europe. Durer, Tintoretto, Degas, Kandinsky, Goya,
Cézanne, Matisse, Dalí, Miró, Picasso or Renoir are just some of the artists whose works form part
of the Collection.
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REINA SOFÍA ART CENTRE

The south angle where the so-called "Walk of the Arts" ends is taken up by the Reina Sofía Art
Centre, where the permanent collection was opened in 1992. This 18th century old hospital is
famous nowadays for housing a magnificent sample of contemporary painting, particularly Spanish,
and for housing one of the most universal of Picasso's works - "Guernica".

However, the origins of the building housing this art collection go well back in time. It was already
in 1566, under the reign of Philip II, that the idea of gathering in one building the many centres and
hospices scattered about in the city of Madrid was conceived. Thirty years later, under the reign of
Philip III, a first hostel was set up in Santa Isabel street. Other facilities were added on in the course
of time: Saint Catherine's Hospital and the Hospital of the Passion, so the complex thus formed
came to be called General Hospital.

After some ups and downs, in the second half of the 18th century, Charles III commissioned a
hospital project from architect Francisco Sabatini on the basis of a project already started by
Hermosilla and planned under the reign of Ferdinand VI. Sabatini, however, was unable to complete
the building, only part of what was designed on the plans.

At present, the Art Centre fulfils three basic tasks: permanent museum, temporary exhibition hall
and research department. For this, it houses a very significant permanent collection including works
by outstanding artists such as Picasso, Miró, Julio González, Dalí, Millares, Equipo Crónica, Saura,
Gargallo and many others, in the Spanish section. As for foreign artists, it has works by Max Ernst,
Tanguy, Magritte, Newman, etc.
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THE PRADO MUSEUM

Address Free access days: Sundays (09:00 am to How to get there
Museo Nacional del Prado. 19:00 pm), 12 October (Columbus Day), 6 Metro: Line 2, Banco de España station and
Paseo del Prado, s/n. December (Constitution Day), 2 May (Official Line 1, Atocha station.
28014 - Madrid. Community of Madrid Feast Day), 18 May Bus: Lines 9, 10, 14, 19, 27, 34, 37 and 45.
Phone.: +34 91 330 28 00. (International Day of Museums). Suburban train: Atocha Station.
"Paseo del Arte" Ticket: 14,40 euros. Joint
Opening Times* ticket for one visit to Prado Museum, Thyssen- Services
From Tuesday to Sunday and feast days: from Bornemisza Collection and Reina Sofía National Recorded guides.
09:00 am to 20:00 pm. Art Centre. Cafeteria.
24 December, 31 December and 6 January: Annual Card for Prado Museum (it allows Restaurant.
from 09:00am to 14:00 pm. the cardholder to access the Prado Museum Gift shop.
Closed: Mondays all year round (including feast for one year). Wheelchairs.
Mondays), 1 January, 1 May, 25 December and General: 36 euros.
Easter Friday. Reduced: 18 euros. www.museoprado.es
Annual Multiple Card: 36.06 euros. The *Prices and opening times are for reference only and they are
Prices* following museums can be visited: Reina Sofía subject to changes.
General: 6 euros. Nacional Art Centre, the Prado Museum and
Reduced: 3 euros. the State Museums attached to the State Office
for Beaux Arts and Cultural Assets, as many
times as the cardholder wishes, for one year.

THYSSEN-BORNEMISZA COLLECTION
Address Students upon accreditation and visitors aged 65+: How to get there
Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza. 3.50 euros. Metro: Line 1, Atocha station.
Paseo del Prado, 8. Temporary exhibition: 4 euros. Bus: Lines 9, 14, 19, 27, 37 and 45.
28014 - Madrid. Free entrance ticket for accompanied under 12- Suburban train: Atocha Station.
Phone: (Information): +34 91 369 01 51. year-olds.
Phone: (Offices): +34 91 420 39 44. "Paseo del Arte" Ticket: 14,40 euros. Joint Services
ticket for one visit to Prado Museum, Thyssen- Gift Shop.
Opening Times* Bornemisza Collection and Reina Sofía National Bookshop.
From Tuesday to Sunday: from 10:00 am to Art Centre. Cafeteria.
19:00 pm.(The ticket office closes at 13:30 pm). Annual Multiple Card: 36.06 euros. The Restaurant.
The museum closes every Monday and on 1 following museums can be visited: Reina Sofía Access for people with disabilities.
January, 1 May and 25 December. National Art Centre, the Prado Museum and the Group bookings.
State Museums attached to the State Office for
Prices* Beaux Arts and Cultural Assets, as many times as www.museothyssen.org
General exhibition: 6 euros. the cardholder wishes, for one year. *Prices and opening times are for reference only and they are
Temporary exhibition: 5 euros. subject to changes.

Combined ticket for Permanent Collection and

Temporary Exhibition: 9 euros.
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R E I N A S OF Í A A RT C E N T R E
Dirección Prices* How to get there
Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía. General: 3 euros. Metro: Line 1, Atocha station.
C/ Santa Isabel, 52. 50% reduction: Youth Card, Student Card. Bus: Lines 6, 10, 14, 18, 19, 26, 27, 32, 34,
28014 - Madrid. Free entrance ticket: Under 18-year-olds, visitors 36, 37, 41, 45, 46, 55, 57, 59, 68, 86, 119
Phone: +34 91 467 50 62 / 468 30 02. aged 65+ or retirees, and the unemployed. and Circular Line.
Free access days: Saturday afternoons and Suburban train: Atocha Station.
Opening Times* Sunday mornings.
From Monday to Saturday, from 10:00 to 18 May, 12 October and 6 December. Services
21:00 hours "Paseo del Arte" Ticket: 14,40 euros. Joint ticket Gift Shop.
Sunday, from 10:00 to 14:30 hours. for one visit to Prado Museum, Thyssen-Bornemisza Bookshop.
Collection and Reina Sofía National Art Centre Cafeteria.
The feast days when the Art Centre is closed are: Annual card: 24.04 euros. Annual Card for Reina Restaurant.
Every Tuesday. Sofía National Art Centre. The museum can be visited Access for people with disabilities.
24, 25 and 31 December. as many times as the cardholder wishes for one year. Group bookings.
1 and 6 January. Annual Multiple Card: 36.06 euros. The following
1 and 15 May. museums can be visited: Reina Sofía National Art www.museoreinasofia.es
9 September. Centre, the Prado Museum and the State Museums *Prices and opening times are for reference only and they are
9 November. attached to the State Office for Beaux Arts and subject to changes.

Cultural Assets, as many times as the cardholder

wishes, for one year.

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2 Gate of Alcalá Retiro Park Prado Museum

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Exchange