Archi-tour of Spain: Part 1 | Madrid

As a keen observer and appreciator of the built-environment, I can only imagine that Spain must be a dream destination for architects. From the whimsical and magical creations of the ingenious Gaudi, the jaw-dropping aqueduct in Segovia, to the grand Catholic cathedrals with traces of Islamic arts embedded in the design, the few days I had in Spain to admire these creations left me wanting to linger in Spain for far more than I had planned to. Spain has had a colourful history, and the architecture which stands now and continues to evolve demonstrates this vividly. Travel is not only about ticking off sights seen, foods eaten, and racing to beat everyone to it, travel is also about understanding history, culture, people and society today, at least that is how I see it. What better way to see a country than through centuries of architecture!

As I present my archi-tour snapshots, I hope you will all come to appreciate the beauty and ingenious of the built environment.

Part 1: Madrid, Spain

Wandering through the old streets of Madrid - such colours and details!

Exploring  the grandeur of the Royal Palace of Madrid. The official residence of the Royal Family of Spain, although they physically live elsewhere. 

Almudena Cathedral behind and built on an old Islamic mosque and site. Love this picture below as it reflects the changing status of religion and history in this city. Surprisingly, this Cathedral is fairly modern as construction only began in 1868 and was only officially declared complete in 1993.

The Edificio Metropolis Building - one of my favourite buildings in all of Madrid! I think it may have something to do with the Beaux-Arts architecture style which I love.

Above: Plaza de Cibeles is the symbol of Madrid. Think Real Madrid and the sight will look familiar to you. I really love grand old buildings that take you to a different era in history.

Above: Plaza Mayor - this was built during the 16th-17th Century as Madrid was ruled by the House of Hapsburgs. It was originally a market square, and was even a bullfighting arena at one stage in history.

Whilst exploring Madrid's grand old buildings was a highlight, my personal highlight was actually just meandering around the various districts. These building show how people once lived and continue to live in this old yet modern city.

I can't say the building on the right in my favourite - but just wanted to highlight contrasts and contradictions. I do love the neat rows of low rise buildings on the left and how they are all so individual. The photo on the right demonstrates what a tax policy can have on building design. Allegedly there used to be a tax on the number of levels in a building. The placement of windows were to confuse officials.

I think I may have developed an obsession with photographing windows and balconies whilst in Madrid. Just love the details and uniqueness of each design.

It's not all old buildings in Madrid - example of Modern Architecture here with the Reina Sofia Museum which houses contemporary art. I'm sure this museum had an impressive collection of Picasso & Dali works here as the guidebooks told me, but I wouldn't know since dummy me didn't get to go in. I went there on the day it was closed. Nevertheless, I had time to appreciate the impressive lines and shadows formed by the glass and steel structures, especially from the newer wing of the museum/arts centre. The best part of museums - abundance of space both inside and in the public courtyard areas.

For those that have traveled to Madrid - what was your favourite part of the city?

Stay tuned for Archi-tour of Spain: Part 2 | Segovia!