Madrid · Centro · Spain

Gran Vía

Square & Street photo spotgoogle verified

~30 min

easy

7/10

best: evening

urban, lively, historic

A local would say...

This boulevard was once known as 'Howitzer Alley' — Franco's forces shelled it so relentlessly during the siege that the buildings still show the scars.

Madrid's great early 20th-century boulevard is a showcase of pre-war European architectural ambition, lined with ornate buildings ranging from the 1905 French-designed Edificio Metrópolis (with its winged victory statue) to the 1920s Telefónica building that was a favoured artillery target during the civil war. Walking its length reveals layers of Madrid's transformation from 19th-century city to modern capital.