Gran Vía, Madrid

Gran Vía is the broad urban street opening a powerful route through central Madrid, lined with shops, hotels, theatres, and substantial early-twentieth-century buildings. It links Calle de Alcalá with Plaza de España, and its stretch between Plaza del Callao and Plaza de España is known as Madrid’s Broadway because of its entertainment venues. Look along the façades for the varied architectural language: revival designs here include Vienna Secession, Plateresque, Neo-Mudéjar, and Art Deco influences.

This avenue began as an audacious plan to cut through the old city. The project required the removal of 312 houses and affected 48 streets, reshaping the area into 32 new blocks. Work finally began in 1910 after years of delay, and the completed road was delivered in 1924.

The upheaval inspired a satirical zarzuela in 1886, in which Madrid’s streets complain about being destroyed for the new route. At the Alcalá end, the Metropolis Building provides a particularly memorable landmark: its winged Goddess Victory replaced the original rooftop statue in 1975. Farther along, the Telefónica Building rises 88 metres and was designed by Ignacio de Cárdenas. The street remains a meeting point of commerce, spectacle, and architectural ambition.