back next MADRID, SPAIN NIGHT AND DAYTIME PHOTOS. PURCHASE GREAT MEMORIES OF YOUR TRIP TO MADRID, SPAIN- FOR HOME OR OFFICE! Madrid is the capital of Spain and its largest city with a population of about 3.3 million with about 6 million living in the great Madrid area. The city is at an elevation of 2,000 feet above sea level. Colorful photographic Madrid sights are highlighted in this gallery. This gallery features Madrid, Spain historical site photos including the Royal Palace, Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol, beautiful fountains and buildings illuminated at night. KEY SITES TO VISIT ARE DESCRIBED BELOW. Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol The Plaza Mayor was built and inaugurated in 1620 during Philip III's reign. It is a central plaza in the city of Madrid, Spain, and located only a few blocks away from another famous plaza, the Puerta del Sol. The square has dimensions of 129 by 94 meters, and is surrounded by three-story residential buildings having 237 balconies facing the Plaza. It has a total of nine entrance ways. At the center of the square is a bronze statue of King Philips III, constructed in 1916 by Jean Boulogne and Pietro Tacca. The Plaza Mayor has been the scene of multitudinous events: markets (Christmas Market), bullfights, soccer games, public executions of Jews during the inquisition and others. Located at the north end of the square resides the four-storey Casa de la Panadería building, supposedly named after the bakery it replaced. The construction of this building and its colourful façade of frescos was initiated in 1590 and it has been renovated several times over the years, most recently when the frescos were repainted with designs by Carlos Franco, in 1992. At the top center of La Casa de la Panadería, there is a Spanish Coat of Arms. They are the royal Spanish arms from the reign of Carlos II. This building is featured as the first image in this gallery since there was a rainstorm and dramatic clouds that were over the plaza during the photo shoot.Near the Plaza Mayor is the famous Bull Fighting Bar- La Torre del Oro Bar Andalu. Well worth a visit for a draft beer. Nearby is the city center, Puerta del Sol featuring a equestrian statue of King Charles III (1716-1718) who built the Royal Palace, Prado and much more. The square is surrounded by buildings that are four stories, yellow-cream colored, have balconies of iron, and shuttered windows. The Royal Palace-Madrid The Palacio Real, or Royal Palace, is Madrid's largest building and is the largest royal palace in Western Europe. It was built on the site of the old Alcázar, the Moorish castle destroyed by fire in 1734, but the site has been occupied since the 10th century by the Moors, who having named the city's Manzanares river al-Magrit ("source of water"), referred to the area as Mayrit which became Magerit, then Madrid. The old city walls around this area may still be seen. A panoramic view of the Plaza de la Armeria followed by the G.D. Olivieri upper part of the main facade with the coat of arms, angles, rising sun following the zodiac, a clock, and statues of Philip V, Ferdinand VI and others. Another exterior view is of the Plaza de Oriente. The palace interior contains furniture, tapestries, paintings and ceramics as well as other important works of art and frescos by Tiépolo. Velázquez, Goya, Giordano and Mengs are all represented here amongst the dozens of valuable tapestries and paintings. The first area featured is the grand stair case which includes Spanish King Charles IV in a toga. The ceiling features a painting representing "Religion Protected by Spain". A second room featured in this gallery is the Gala Dining Room having fifteen chandeliers, 2 arches each supported by double colonades, and room for 140 guests. A colorful tapestry from the Palace Tapestry Hall is also presented. Madrid at Night City Hall of Madrid, the Communications Palace One of Madrid's most beautiful buildings - the Palacio de Comunicaciones, finalised in 1917, and since 2007 the headquarters of the Madrid City Hall. It is located La Plaza de Cibeles is disected by two major roads: running north is the Paseo del Prado, which turns into the Paseo de Recoletos after the square, and running from West to East is Calle Alcala. There is a significant fountain, Cibeles Fountain which was under repair at the time of this photo shoot. In 2007 the building was transformed into the new home of Madrid's city council. Even though Madrid's city hall looks like a high-gothic cathedral, it was originally built in the early 20th century as the main office of the Spanish postal service, hence its name Communications Palace. It continued to serve that purpose for about a century until November 2007 when it took over the function of city hall from the much less impressive "Casa de la Villa" at the Plaza de la Villa Square. Its architecture is a combination of the gothic style with neoclassical elements. The building's facade is elaborately decorated with cartouches and pilasters. Long pinnacles adorn the top of the towers, the tallest of which reaches a height of about 40 meter. Fountain of Neptune The magnificent Fuente de Neptuno (Fountain of Neptune) in the Plaza de Canovas del Castillo depicts the sea-god Neptune in a conch-shell chariot pulled by sea-horses and surrounded by dolphins and seals. Completed in 1784 by Ventura Rodriguez. This gallery has images comparing the fountain during daylight and night. Fuente de Apolo or Fountain of the Four Seasons Fuente de Apolo or fountain of the Four Seasons was designed by Ventura Rodríguez and sculpted between 1780 and 1803 by Manuel Alvarez and Alfonso Bergaz. The fountain is located in the Passeo Del Prado, in the boulevard that goes from Cibeles to Neptuno Fountain. On the sides of the fountains, one can see two heads belonging to the Medusa and Circe. Apollo is on top representing the ideal image of Greek manhood. Metropolis Building The Metropolis Building or Edificio Metrópolis (Spanish) is an office building in Madrid, Spain, at the corner of the Calle de Alcalá and Gran Vía. Inaugurated in 1911, it was designed by Jules and Raymond Février for the insurance company La Unión y el Fénix. It is currently owned by Metrópolis Jules and Raymond Février gave the building a French, Beaux-Arts style, which was quite unusual at the time.The ground level is topped by ornate colonnaded upper floors. The columns support 4 statues representing Mining, Agriculture, Industry and Commerce, made by Saint Marceaux and L. Lambert. At the foot of the dome you'll find a statue sculpted by D. Mariano Benlliure. The rounded tower is covered with 30000 leaves of 24 carat gold Notable Buidlings and sculpture Congreso De Los Diputados Congreso De Los Diputados,The Congress of Deputies of Spain, commonly referred to as simply the Congress of Deputies. Is the lower house of the Cortes Generales, Spain's legislative branch. It has 350 members elected. The building, Congreso de los Diputados, has a neoclassical style. It was designed by Narciso Pascual Colomer, and built between 1843 and 1850. It sits by the Carrera de San Jerónimo, in Madrid. The relief on the facade by sculptor Ponciano Ponzano centers on a sculpture of Spain embracing the constitutional state, represented by a woman with her arm around a young girl. Surrounding the pair are figures that represent in allegorical form Justice and Peace, Science, Agriculture, Fine Arts, Navigation, Industry, Commerce and so on. Ponzano also executed two bronze lions for the building's access stairway in a more realistic manner. Notable Buildings or Sculptures Posada Del Peine Posada Del Peine- The Petit Palace Posada del Peine Hotel is a hotel 2 min from the Plaza Mayor square of Madrid, a unique space with over 400 years of history and a modern design full of amenities. Founded in 1610, it is the oldest hotel in Spain. The colorful facade is amazing. Monument to Miguel de Cervantes-1925 Located in Plaza Espana, the monument features Miguel de Cervantes (seated) above Don Quixote on Rocinante, and Sancho Panza. They are flanked by Aldonza Lorenzo and The Little Gypsy Girl.-1960 Monumento a los Héroes del Dos de Mayo-1840 Monumento a los Héroes del Dos de Mayo, is a monument in Madrid, Spain located in the Plaza de la Lealtad dedicated to all anonymous fighters killed during the Uprising of May 2, 1808. The body that serves as a square base to the monument has on its west face a base that houses a sarcophagus with the ashes of the people of Madrid shot on May 3. Above, the top section of the base has a medallion in bas - relief with the effigies of the captains Luis Daoíz and Pedro Velarde . On the base rests another body of smaller dimensions in whose four fronts there are two allegorical statues representing Constancy, Valor, Virtue and Patriotism. Finally, a stone obelisk of 5.6 meters high is erected. At the front, the inscription, in golden letters, "HONOR ALL THOSE WHO GAVE YOUR LIFE FOR SPAIN". Westin Palace Madrid The hotel construction was commissioned by King Alfonso XIII in 1912. The exterior features marvelous sculptures on the roof top and elegant paintings, sculptures and tapestries inside. The hotel restaurant,La Rotunda, features a famed stained glass dome presented in this gallery. This hotel is close to many of the city’s must-see sights, such as the famous Museo del Prado. Photos shot while on a Tauck Tour of Portugal and Spain in September, 2016.