The Gran Vía Project, an ambitious operation that spanned four decades, was undoubtedly one of the biggest urban operations ever undertaken in Madrid. It began at the same time as the Haussmann urban renewal plan for Paris, and had an enormous social, economic and cultural impact on the city. The completion of works on the Gran Vía around 1930 marked the start of Madrid’s transition from an old historic city to a modern metropolis.
This Architecture Guide looks at some of the most important projects in Madrid since that point, including several which have been built in recent years. The 150 projects in this guide are arranged in nine routes through the 21 districts that comprise the Madrid municipality. Most of them can be viewed from the outside and entered, visited by appointment or are open to the public during the Madrid Architecture Week held every October, when guided tours of the city’s most interesting buildings are available.