The Palacio de Velazquez of Madrid, part II !!!

Posted in Europe, Madrid, Spain

We are back to my dear Spain again !! love it !! We came by car of course and took time to see new areas and old repeat as could not be in Spain without stopping in my Madrid! I came again with my boys and dog Rex, and it was a thrill as usual! I like to tell you more of Madrid to heaven and a hole in the sky to look down on it everyday !!! Let me take you to the Palacio de Velazquez of Madrid, part II !!! Sit back and enjoy with me the next several posts ; and hope you enjoy it as I.

Madrid Retiro park palacio de velazquez front jun24

The city of Madrid is the capital of the kingdom of Spain, and located in the Comunidad de Madrid region From my latest escapes it is 211 km from Valladolid City , 198 km from our rental house in Velliza, 183 km from Tordesillas, 172 km from Rueda, 159 km from Medina del Campo, 199 km from Simancas, We made long walks all over the City , and took the metro when necessary, three times. I love to tell you of our latest escape to the wonderful City, for the memories of always and return, eventually. This another must for me while in the City it is huge and beautiful wonderful nature in the center of Madrid with many things to do and see !

The Palacio de Velazquez inside the Retiro park (see posts) was built between 1881-1883 for the national exposition of mining, metarulogical, ceramics, glass and mineral waters. It is now part of the exposition venue of the Museo Reina Sofía museum. The Palacio de Velazquez occupies a central position in the Retiro park. The palace was largely demolished after the Independence (Peninsular) War 1808-14, with only Casón del Buen Retiro (a ballroom) and Salón de Reinos (used as a throne room) still standing, and the Retiro park has been open to the public since 1868 .

Madrid Retiro park palacio de velazquez front side jun24

Madrid Retiro park palacio de velazquez back side jun24

Originally known as the Palacio de la Minería, it was built in 1881-1883 for the Exposición Nacional de Minería by architect Ricardo Velázquez Bosco (named after him), engineer Alberto Palacio and ceramist Daniel Zuloaga. It functions as an art and craft gallery and is structured in three rectangular bodies united around a central gallery. All the new 19C building materials are featured in this building: granite, brick, ceramic, iron, zinc and crystal. The Palace of Velazquez was built in the realm of neo-renaissance historicism, has a spacious floor plan, vaulted ceilings with iron structures and natural lighting, thanks to a large glass surface.It is a large neoclassical building, red brick and tile covered with iron and glass arches to naturally illuminate the rooms with dimensions of 73.80 meters by 28.75 meters or (242.1 ft × 94.3 ft)

It has a rectangular plan, doubly symmetrical, with advanced towers in the corners and a central and transverse nave, whose metal barrel vault stands out in height. In the middle is the entrance, towards the midday front, preceded by an elegant 15-meter white marble staircase and configured by a portico with semicircular arches on Ionic columns.   Between the nave and the towers, intermediate bodies are created, resolved to the outside as galleries, very light, with arches similar to those of the access, but on pillars. However, the rectangular interior is practically a single space without divisions, only those corresponding to the four towers. In the central gallery of 18 meters high, the roofs and the iron columns are the only protagonists.

Madrid Retiro park palacio de velazquez ceiling side jun24

Since 1908 it has hosted the National Fine Arts Exhibitions. The works of contemporary painters are often exhibited at the palace since 1987 ,It is currently operated by the Ministry of Culture, and is dedicated to the temporary exhibitions of the National Museum of Modern Art of Spain, or as the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (see post). It is located inside the Parque del Buen Retiro or Retiro park for short, on Paseo de Venezuela ,next to the Fuente de Alcachofa or artichoke fountain. Best to walk to the park or if far metro line 2 Retiro or line 9 Ibiza or bus lines stopping at Plaza de la Independencia right at entrance to park ,no. 15, 20, 51, and 52. Of course, check for latest schedules.

The Reina Sofia Museum on the Palacio de Velazquez : https://www.museoreinasofia.es/en/museum/venues

The Madrid tourist office on the Palacio de Velazquez: https://www.esmadrid.com/en/tourist-information/palacio-de-velazquez

There you go folks , another wonderful nostalgic, sentimental trip to my dear Spain, Madrid is always nostalgic sentimental words cannot describe it ! This is a vibrant cosmopolitan cities of friendly faces and smiles to share in long conversations about life and more ; I love it, And these places are part of my life forever ! We will be back here ,eventually!, Again, hope you enjoy this post on the Palacio de Velazquez of Madrid, part II !!! as I

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

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Published by pedmar10

I am a lover of travels to Europe , Americas , Africa and Asia as well ,who like to share my experiences of the last 53 years with the world, visiting so far 81 countries; living in 6, working in 5, and Citizen of 4, speaking fluently 4 languages. I can deal with sports especially football/soccer and love music, arts, wine collector/drinker, and go out to restaurants, and just visit the world. My background comes all the way from Candelaria and Pajara in Tenerife, Spain where my grandparents came from ;not knowing each other then, to Punta Brava, west of Havana, Cuba. There , my parents born in Cuba met and later on I was born there too. 100% guanche (annexed Tenerife to Spain on April 10 ,1496). I left Cuba as many have to Madrid, Spain where I lived for 4 years. Then, move to Perth Amboy ,New Jersey USA (living there 13 yrs) ; where I completed high school, became a US Citizen, learned to drive a car, and learned English. Afterward, went to the university in Florida, ERAU, and upon graduation decided to moved there to Ormond by the Sea, near Daytona Beach, finally moving North Miami, then Hialeah, then another moved to Silver Lakes division in Miramar, Broward county, Florida; in Florida I lived a total of 18 years. Finally , moved to France in 2003 ,Versailles call me for its royalty, and working in Paris was great. It was time to seek frontiers again and moved to Brech near Auray, Morbihan in Brittany , and later move to not too far Pluvigner. Total so far in France has been 20 years, and counting. Moving average a home every 5.5 years hopefully this will be my last. Cheers All rights reserved. No part of this blog may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright holder, me. No part of this work may be modified, without the written permission of the holder, me.No part of this work may be exposed to public view in any form or by any means, without identifying the holder as the author, and with the before mentioned permission.

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