Views from the City: Palacio de Congresos and Estadio Santiago Bernabau

As I noted in previous posts, Madrid houses a multitude of museums that exhibit some of the nation's most important artists from its vast history. That said, the city's urban landscape also manages to incorporate the work of some of its most famous artists in the architecture and facade of its landmarks.

One of the best examples of these types of landmarks is the Palacio de Congresos, an exhibition space on the Plaseo de la Castellana in northern Madrid. The building features a mural painted by Joan Miro, one of the most influential and prolific surrealist artists in 20th century art. Although Miro initially worked with standard mediums such as canvass and sculpture, he received numerous requests to create public works of art such as Miro's Chicago, which sits in the Loop in downtown Chicago.

The building, which is the property of the city of Madrid, was constructed in 1970; the city added the mural to its facade in 1980. The mural was constructed by ceramist Llorens Artigas under Miro's supervision.


Across from the exhibition hall, one can find the home of Real Madrid, Estadio Santiago Bernabau. For any fan of football (or soccer), the team's reputation does not require any sort of introduction; its record and cache of superstar athletes speaks for itself. Although I have not had an opportunity to see a Real Madrid game, I have been able to witness Madrileno's enthusiasm for their home team whenever the stadium hosts a home match. Of course, the team receives its fair share of derision from the fans of its hometown rival, Club Atletico de Madrid, whose stadium, Estadio Vicente Calderon, sits in the southwest corner of Madrid.


The stadium was built in 1947 and received its latest round of upgrades and renovations in 2006. It has received a five star 'elite' rating from the UEFA, the most prestigious honor for a football ground in Europe.