Prado Museum Madrid

If you have any interest in art at all, the Prado Museum in Madrid should be one of your top spots for a visit. This attraction is often considered to be the greatest painting museum in the world, and with a collection that features 8600 paintings from around the world, and that's just the start!

The Prado Museum has one of the finest collections of European art which focuses on works produced from the 1500s to the early 1800's. Its permanent collection has more than 5000 drawings, 2000 prints and almost 2000 works of art. Though it is mainly recognised as the premier museum in terms of paintings, there is still a formidable presence of other art; there are over 700 sculptures and over 1000 coins and medals. No matter what your taste runs to, you can find something that will interest you in this historic building.

The Museo del Prado has a well-deserved reputation for being a cornerstone in the history of the art world; when it opened its gates in 1819, it was one of the world's first public art galleries. Though originally meant to be a Natural History museum, the Prado Museum, with its breathtakingly large and varied collection, grew to define the modern art museum

Goya's "Dos de Mayo"	Goya's "Tres de Mayo"

Even the building itself has a charm that will enchant any history buff. For a while, the structure was used as a headquarters for the cavalry when the Napoleonic troops were based in Madrid during the War of Independence. That wasn't the end of the excitement for this historical building or its precious storehouse of art. During the Spanish Civil War, the museum's collection was transferred several times. 353 paintings, 168 drawings and the Dauphin's Treasure, a collection of jewels and decorative art, were all moved to Valencia, Girona and finally to Geneva in Switzerland. The collection was returned to Madrid and the Prado Museum during the Second World War, where it has been ever since.

The Prado Madrid is divided into two buildings, the Villanueva building, which is the older of the two, and the Casón del Buen Retiro. In either building there is a great deal to see, so it will be in your best interest to get a good idea of what is available and prioritize your trip.

Plan your Visit in Advance ...

The Villaneuva building, named after the architect Juan de Villaneuva, features part of the Prado museum's extensive Italian collection on the ground floor. Be sure to enjoy the quiet and airy peace of this hall as you look at works like Fra Angelico's "The Annuciation" and Raphael's "Holy Family with Lamb." The ground floor of the Villaneuva building also houses the Prado museum's sculptures. Of special note are are the Greek bronze-work and the Roman carvings.

The paintings of the Prado Museum's collection are divided into collections based on country of origin and era. While other collections are excellent in terms of variety and fame, the Prado really shines with its collection of the Spanish schools of painting dating from 1100 to 1850. Artists represented in this collection include El Greco, Luis De Morales, Murillo and many others.

There are many famous paintings that you can see at the Prado Museum. Albrecht Durer's "Self-Portrait" and Peter Paul Ruben's "The Three Graces" represent the German and Flemish schools, respectively, and Titian's "Venus with an Organist and a Dog" displays all the grace exemplified by the early Renaissance painters.

One of the places in the Prado Museum that you should not skip is the collection of work by famed artist Velázquez. Diego Velázquez, the king of Spain's court painter, has an entire room devoted to some of his most important pieces. Directly off of the main gallery, you can find some of his most impressive works, like "The Drinkers," "Jester Portraits," and "The Surrender of Breda." His single most important work is "Las Meninas" which is a painting of Velazquez himself whilst he is painting the Infanta Margarita and her two ladies-in-waiting.

Velazquez's "Los Borrachos"	Velazquez's "Las Meninas"

Francisco Goya also has a strong presence in the the Prado's galleries and you can find his work off of the main gallery in room 32. This eighteenth century artist had a three distinct periods of art, those being his court painter period, his political period and his dark period, and all three are amply represented in this gallery. Be sure to find his celebrated "Maja Desnuda" and "Maja Vestida" (clothed and naked belles) as well as his masterpieces, "Dos de Mayo" and "Tres de Mayo" which depict reprisals against Napoleonic troops in Madrid in 1808.

One thing to remember while touring is that the Prado is constantly under renovation and the pieces you're looking for might not always be where you expect them to be. Don't be afraid to flag down the museum staff and ask for directions!

During the days of the Spanish Empire, the wealth of Spain brought back thousands of masterpieces to Madrid. Today, you can join literally hundreds of thousands of visitors by walking the halls of one of the world's first public art galleries.

Goya's "Maja Vestida"

Goya's "Maja Desnuda"