Dominating the skyline about one-third of the way along Gran Vía is the 1920s-era Telefónica building, which was for years the highest building in the city. During the civil war, when Madrid was besieged by Franco’s forces and the boulevard became known as ‘Howitzer Alley’ due to the artillery shells that rained down upon it, the Telefónica building was a favoured target. These days it hosts exhibitions and can arrange guided tours.
Telefónica Building
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
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Basílica de San Francisco El Grande
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This imposing early-20th-century Italianate stone mansion, set discreetly back from the street, belonged to Don José Lázaro Galdiano (1862–1947), a…
Nearby attractions
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It’s difficult to imagine Madrid without Gran Vía, the grand boulevard lined with towering belle-époque facades that climbs up through the centre of…
2. Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando
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The Real Academia de Bellas Artes, Madrid’s ‘other’ art gallery, has for centuries played a pivotal role in the artistic life of the city. As the royal…
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Edificio Grassy, with the Rolex sign, was built in 1916. With its circular ‘temple’ as a crown, and profusion of arcs and slender columns, it’s one of the…
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Look out for the statue of a bear nuzzling a madroño (strawberry tree) at the eastern end of the Plaza de la Puerta del Sol; this is the official symbol…
5. Carlos III Equestrian Statue
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The Plaza de la Puerta del Sol owes its present appearance in part to the Bourbon king Carlos III (r 1759–88), whose equestrian statue (complete with his…
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The eye-catching Edificio Carrión, on the corner of Gran Vía and Calle de Jacometrezo, was Madrid’s first pre-WWI tower-block apartment hotel. It is now…
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The official centre point of Spain is a gracious, crowded hemisphere of elegant facades. It is, above all, a crossroads: people here are forever heading…
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Among the more interesting buildings along Gran Vía is the stunning, French-designed Edificio Metrópolis, built in 1905, which marks the southern end of…