Page 302 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Spain

300  M ADRID

Be neath it, however, is de Madrid, an open-air
an extensive complex, sculpture museum (Paseo
the Teatro Fernán Gómez de la Castellana 40).
Centro de Arte. Formerly
known as the Centro o Museo
Cultural de la Villa, this
centre is now named after Arqueológico
the Spanish cinema and Nacional
theatre actor, director and
writer Fernando Fernán Calle Serrano 13. Map 6 D5.
Gómez, who died in Tel 91 577 79 12.  Serrano.
@ 1, 9, 19, 51, 74. Open 9:30am–
Madrid in 2007. Exhibitions 8pm Tue–Sat, 9:30am–3pm Sun.
are held in its prestigious ∑ man.es
One of the many Roman mosaics at the Museo halls. The complex also
Arqueológico Nacional includes lecture rooms, Founded by Isabel II in 1867,
a theatre and a café. Madrid’s archaeological
u Plaza de Colón museum, which has reopened
after extensive and impressive
Map 6 D5.  Serrano, Colón. i Calle de Serrano
Teatro Fernán Gómez Centro restoration work, houses a
de Arte: Tel 91 436 25 40. Map 8 D1.  Serrano. collection that consists mainly
∑ teatrofernangomez.com of material uncovered during
Named after the 19th-century excavations all over Spain, as
This large square, one of politician Francisco Serrano y well as important pieces from
Madrid’s undisputed focal Dominguez, Madrid’s smartest Egypt, ancient Greece and the
points, is dedicated to 15th- shopping street runs north Etruscan civilization.
century explorer Christopher from the Plaza de la Highlights of the earliest finds
Columbus (Colón in Spanish). Independencia, in the district include an exhibition on the
It is overlooked by huge of Salamanca, to the Plaza del ancient civilization of El Argar
tower blocks, built in the 1970s Ecuador, in the district of El in Anda lucía (see p52), and a
to replace the 19th-century Viso. Calle de Serrano is lined display of jewellery uncovered
mansions which stood here. with attractive shops (p320) – at the Roman settlement of
On the south side of the many specializ ing in expensive Numantia, near Soria (see p381).
square is a palace housing luxury items – housed in old- Other exhibited pieces are
the National Library and fashioned mansion blocks. devoted to the period between
Archaeological Museum. Several of the country’s top Roman and Mudéjar Spain.
The Post-Modernist designers, including Iberian culture is also represen-
sky scraper of the Heron Adolfo Domíngu ez and ted, with two notable funerary
Cor poration towers over Purificación García, have sculptures – La Dama de Elche
the Plaza de Colón from boutiques towards the (see p52) and La Dama de Baza.
the far side of the Paseo north, near the ABC Serrano The Roman period is illustrated
de la Castellana. (see p321) and the Museo with some impressive mosaics,
The real feature of the Lázaro Galdiano (see p309). including one from the 3rd
square, however, is the pair Branches of the Italian century. The underside of
of monuments dedi cated shops Versace, Gucci and this 1,800-year-old work
to the discoverer of the Armani, as well as the shows a combat between two
Americas. The prettiest, French Chanel, can be gladiators, Simmachius and
and oldest, is a Neo-Gothic found on the Calle de Maternus; the upper register
spire erected in 1885, with José Ortega y Gasset. displays Simmachius’ victory.
Columbus at its top, point- Lower down the Calle de Outstanding pieces from the
ing west. Carved reliefs on Serrano, towards Serrano Visigothic period include several
the plinth give highlights of metro station, are two splendid 7th-century gold votive
his discoveries. Across the branches of Spain’s famous crowns from Toledo province.
square is the second, more depart ment store El Corte On show from the Islamic
modern monument – Inglés. On the Calle de era is well-preserved pottery
a cluster of four large Claudio Coello, which uncovered from Medina
concrete shapes runs parallel with Azahara in Andalucía (see
inscribed with Serrano, there are p481) and metal objects.
quotations about several lavish antique Romanesque exhibits at
Columbus’s journey shops, in keeping the museum include an ivory
to America (see p61). with the area’s crucifix carved in 1063 for
Constantly busy with upmarket atmos- Fernando I of Castilla-León,
traffic, the plaza may phere. Under Juan and the Madonna and Child
seem an unlikely venue Statue of Columbus, Bravo’s bridge is the from Sahagún, considered
for cultural events. Plaza de Colón Museo de Arte Público a masterpiece of Spanish art.
For hotels and restaurants in this area see pp568–9 and pp591–3

300-301_EW_Spain.indd 300 26/09/17 11:02 am
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Date 5th December 2012
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