Madrid Photo Gallery - Part 1

Located in the centre of Spain, my trip to Madrid was mostly spent on day trips in surrounding historic towns. My last day in the country was devoted solely to this city, which meant I didn't have time to explore the museums but to skim through the main sites and walk a lot.

I started my morning at Plaza de Espana to explore the Palacio Real area. The first stop was the Almudena Cathedral, which was rebuilt after the Civil War and opened in 1993. Its look was designed to match the Royal Palace next door.

I went up for a grand view of the area. There is a huge forest next door but I'm in the middle of a large city.

This Palacio Real was built after fire destroyed the previous palace in 1734, and was used until 1931. However, the building is still used for state occasions, but not a residence anymore as the royal family had moved to a more modest place.

Plaza de Oriente is a good place to see the Palacio Real's scale as well as the Teatro Real behind you. This public space was used by Franco for his public addresses, although today the attention is on its 44 statues of Spanish royalty.

Teatro Real dates from the mid-19th century but had to close in 1925 due to the land sinking, re-opening in 1997.

I then headed north and uphill.

Templo de Debod incorporates a real Egyptian temple from over 2000 years ago. It was a gift to Spain for helping restore the Abu Simbel temples when the Aswan High Dam was built. Transported stone by stone and reassembled in its new home, it opened to the public in 1972.