Visiting the Prado Museum
As the primary cultural landmark in Madrid and home to the most significant art collection in Spain, the Prado Museum sees nearly 3 million visitors annually. Commissioned by King Charles III as a natural history cabinet, the structure was built in 1786 by local architect Juan de Villanueva, alongside the city's astronomical observatory and botanical garden. Later, Queen Maria Isabel of Portugal convinced the crown to repurpose the building as a royal gallery for paintings and sculptures.
The neoclassical design, defined by imposing Greco-Roman columns, is instantly recognizable. When it opened to the public in 1819, the catalog held just 300 pieces. The collection grew quickly through church acquisitions and private donations, eventually reaching over 10,000 works, though only about one-seventh of that total is on display at any given time. In 2007, an expansion known as the Edificio Jerónimos (Jerónimos Building) was inaugurated to house temporary exhibitions and sculptures.
The Spanish collection here is peerless. Spanning nearly 700 years, the gallery features roughly 100 works by Francisco de Goya, including his centerpiece, The Third of May 1808. You will also find major pieces by El Greco, Ribera, Murillo, and Velázquez, whose Las Meninas remains the most famous canvas in the building.
The ground floor and first floor host the Venetian school and Italian masters such as Caravaggio and Botticelli. The first floor also showcases German, Dutch, and French painters. The second floor focuses on modern art, with a strong emphasis on cubist, dadaist, and surrealist movements. Picasso, Miro, and Dali are prominently featured. Guernica is often the highlight for many visitors. The fourth floor covers the post-World War II era, including abstraction, figuration, and existentialist works. Popular artists in this section include Francis Bacon, Jean Dubuffet, Lucio Fontana, and Yves Klein.
Opening hours
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As a fan of Renaissance paintings, I could not miss this museum and I loved the experience. The only downside is that it is impossible to see everything, even in one day, so you have to make some choices. I focused on European painting and I still have wonderful paintings by Velasquez in my memory, like Las Meninas, or even Goya, Rubens, and El Greco. You do not know where to look! Remember to book your tickets in advance and count on at least three hours for your visit. I will return with great pleasure.