Morning on the Gran Via. From the Montera to the Plaza of Spain
I had big plans for the day, so I left the house early, when the sun was just showing over the rooftops.
As I have already said, my home was located on ortales street, just 50 meters from the Gran via and the metro station of The same name. My final destination was the bus terminal of the Principe PIO station, where I went on foot, looking at the unique architecture of the main street of Madrid.
The matesanz shopping center (Casa Matesanz, Gran Via 27), built in 1923 by architect Antonio Palacios Ramilo. It was one of the first "American-style"Department stores.
The next building is The house of Books (Casa del Libro, No. 29), the largest bookselling center in the Pyrenees. Currently, it unites 36 stores with various themes. The building was built in 1923 by the architect Jose Yarnos Larrosa.
The upper floors of the building are occupied by the four-star Arosa hotel. A standard double room here costs an average of 250 euros per night, but if you are lucky, you can get it for half that amount.
The office building at number 31 is the creation of the architect Jose Miguel de La Quadra Salcedo, built in 1925-27 by order of Vicente Patuel (Casa Vicente Patuel). More recently, the house has changed its original appearance - there are domes over the turrets and sculptures. Last spring, they were still in the scaffolding.
Looking back, I saw a stunning picture, the color scheme reminiscent of impressionist canvases... well, of course, it really didn't look so surreal, this photo is the result of shooting with bracketing, data and final processing in HDR.
Callao square with Adriaca house, El Corte Ingless Department store, Fnac medimarket and Callao cinema.
The tower of the "Adriatic" (Edificio La Adriatica) with a weather vane, which many people take for a cross and are surprised by the unusual architecture of the temple. The house was designed by Luis Sainz de Los Terreros in 1926. During the Civil war, the tower was used as an air defense post.
The carrion-style building (often called the Capitol) begins the third phase of the Gran via development. The house was built in 1933 in the style of expressionism, architects Luis Martinez-Feduci and Vicente Eked y Eked. The building has a multi-purpose purpose - there is a cinema, shops, cafes, offices and residential apartments. The Sweppes advertisement has probably been hanging here since its construction, has become a symbol of Gran via and has been featured in many films. Shortly before I left, I watched "The day of the beast," where in one episode the characters climb over the glowing and flashing structures of a Billboard.
Homeless people are everywhere, and the Spanish capital is no exception. Their "apartments" can be found everywhere, even on the main street. The police don't chase them - they don't break the law, and the laws don't say that a person can't sleep on the street. During the day, boxes and pallets are rolled up and removed from the sidewalk. As we can see, many people settle down even with relative comfort. Matarz, it seems, is quite new.
The Hotel Emperador.
The theater part of the Gran via. The most famous is the Lope de VEGA theater, where the musical the lion King has not lost popularity for 12 years.
Don Hamon tapas bar.
Hotel Mayorazco 4*. The building is without architectural excesses, but attracts the eye with its original decor, inside guests will find a super-modern interior design and furniture. Prices for a double room start from 150 euros.
The former building of the Compac Gran Via cinema. It now houses the Teatro de La Luz-Philips, which specializes in Opera and ballet classics.
The Edificio Vitalicio house, built in 1929 by Fernando de Escondrillas and Lopez de Albuquerque, completes the architectural series of the renovated (or rather re-created) Gran via in the twenties of the last century.
