💕•°——B—a—C—k——F—r—o—M——V—a—C—a—T—i—O—n——A—n—d——R—e —A— d—Y——t—O——p—L—a—Y——°•💕•°

[Asian Nicole]

Hello Gentlemen,

It's Asian Nicole. Please, take a guess? Where was I flying to? Haha.... It was last year, Oops, 2023? Yeah, it is 2024 now! Happy New Year, Everyone!

From the Pearson Airport (YYZ) To....

 

[Asian Nicole]

Hello Gentlemen,

Madrid, Spain's central capital, is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU). It is a city of elegant boulevards and expansive, manicured parks such as the Buen Retiro. It’s renowned for its rich repositories of European art, including the Prado Museum’s works by Goya, Velázquez and other Spanish masters. The heart of old Hapsburg Madrid is the portico-lined Plaza Mayor, and nearby is the baroque Royal Palace and Armory, displaying historic weaponry.

Madrid houses the headquarters of the UN's World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB). Madrid is home to two world-famous football clubs, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid. While Madrid possesses modern infrastructure, it has preserved the look and feel of many of its historic neighbourhoods and streets. Its landmarks include the Plaza Mayor, the Royal Palace of Madrid; the Royal Theatre with its restored 1850 Opera House, etc.

The Hotel I stayed in Madrid.

 

[Asian Nicole]

Hello Gentlemen,

The Plaza Mayor (English: Town square) is a major public space in the heart of Madrid, the capital of Spain. It was once the centre of Old Madrid. It was first built (1580–1619) during the reign of Philip III. The Plaza Mayor dates back to the 15th century where it was originally called the "Plaza del Arrabal" and was used as the main market of the town. In 1561, the plaza was transferred to the city of Madrid. King Philip II commissioned Classical architect Juan de Herrera to remodel the area. Construction did not begin until Philip III's reign in 1617. Juan Gómez de Mora continued on the architectural renovation, and was finished two years later in 1619.

The Plaza Mayor is rectangular in shape and highlights the uniformity of the architecture. 237 balconies are present on the three-story residential buildings that face inward towards the Plaza. To enter or exit The Plaza Mayor, there are ten entrances to choose from. Today, it is the location of the annual Christmas market. It has also hosted bullfights and soccer games. Every Sunday and holidays it hosts stamp collecting and coin collecting market in the mornings.

The Felipe III Statue, Madrid stands in the centre of Plaza Mayor depicts King Philip III of Spain triumphantly riding his stallion.

 

[Asian Nicole]

Hello Gentlemen,

Jamón ibérico (English: Iberian ham), is a variety of jamón or presunto, a type of cured leg of pork produced in Spain.

According to Spain's denominación de origen rules and current regulations on jamón, the dry-cured jamón ibérico must be made from either pure breed Black Iberian pigs or cross-bred pigs at least 50% Black Iberian mixed only with Duroc pigs, the same restriction as required to keep official ibérico denomination on any Spanish pork meat product.

Jamón ibérico, especially the one labeled de bellota, has a smooth texture, rich, savory taste, and regular marbling. The fat content is relatively high compared to jamón serrano. I love Spanish jamón. I was so glad that I found a store at the Plaza Mayor.

 

[Asian Nicole]

Hello Gentlemen,

The Royal Palace of Madrid is worth a visit. This magnificent landmark has the splendor to match its size.

Before you even enter the palace you are greeted by a massive courtyard within the palace gates. This is a prelude to what is to come. It’s here that you can capture some magnificent pictures of the palace and surrounding area. As you approach the west end of the courtyard there is a series of arches which then provide you with a panoramic view of the city below.

 

[Asian Nicole]

Hello Gentlemen,

From Medieval Alcazar To Royal Palace: The Royal Palace dates back to the 18th century but actually sits on the site of the old Alcázar of Madrid, a medieval fortress converted into a palace which Philip II made the official residence of the kings of Spain in 1561. The Alcazar, decorated with great works of art from the Spanish golden age, was destroyed by a fire on Christmas Eve 1734. Legend has it that members of the court of Philip V, of French origin, started the fire in order to build a French or Versailles-style palace. But it's just that, a legend.

For the enormous task, King Philip V sent for the best European architect of his time, Filippo Juvarra, who never got to see his work finished, something very common at the time, as the works took many years to complete. It was his disciple, Giambattista Sacchetti, who was in charge of adapting his ambitious project. The entire building is made of vaults with no wood in the structure, which would guarantee the survival of a large part of the Palace in the event of a fire, and with many floors to accommodate all the government offices, the official business of the Royal House and the servants. It was a building made to house the country's ultimate power.

 

[Asian Nicole]

Hello Gentlemen,

The Palace has a total of 3,418 rooms. Even though you’ll only be permitted to tour a fraction of them, the ones that you do visit are well worth it. Each room presents itself like a page out of history and tells a story. On my visit, I liked that each room seemed to have a theme and was unique.

Once you begin your tour of the rooms of the palace, photography isn’t permitted, and they’re very strict on that. But that didn’t detract from my tour, instead, it kept me focused on what I was seeing and experiencing. However, you still can get photos in certain parts of the palace, so don’t worry, you’ll be able to get some great pictures.

 

[Asian Nicole]

Hello Gentlemen,

The Royal Palace of Madrid is the largest in Western Europe and one of the largest in the world. It is the official residence of the Spanish royal family at the city of Madrid, although now used only for state ceremonies. The palace has 1,450,000 sq ft of floor space and contains 3,418 rooms.

The palace was initially built by Muhammad I, Umayyad Emir of Cordoba, between 860 and 880. After the Moors were driven out of Toledo in the 11th century, the castle retained its defensive function. Henry III of Castile added several towers. His son John II used it as a royal residence.

If you love history then you’ll find that the Royal Palace of Madrid is worth visiting. Throughout the tour of the palace, you get the chance to find out the history behind the rooms and the palace itself. The palace was completed in 1755 and the three-plus decades of history are present throughout.

View of the palace complex from the east

 

[Asian Nicole]

Hello Gentlemen,

Not only is the palace spectacular, but the surrounding gardens are worth a visit as well.
Sabatini Gardens is a prominent feature of the Palace grounds. It’s a beautiful collection of plants, trees, and shrubbery that is a delight to experience. The entire gardens are carefully manicured. It’s a relaxing place to go for a stroll.

The gardens are meticulously maintained and include various fountains, statues, and meticulously trimmed hedges. The Royal Palace of Madrid Gardens is a popular destination for tourists and locals alike, offering a serene and picturesque oasis in the heart of the bustling Spanish capital.

 

[Asian Nicole]

Hello Gentlemen,

The Monument to Philip IV (or Fountain of Philip IV) is a memorial to Philip IV of Spain in the centre of Plaza de Oriente in Madrid. It was raised at the insistence of Isabella II of Spain in the first half of the 19th century, opening on 17 November 1843, a year before Narciso Pascual y Colomer came up with the square's final layout. However, its equestrian statue of the king dates to the 17th century and was produced by the Italian sculptor Pietro Tacca. It was begun in 1634 and shipped to Madrid in 1640, the year of his death.

The sculpture, atop a complicated fountain composition, forms the centerpiece of the façade of the Royal Palace. The statue was based in drawings by Diego Velázquez and a bust by Juan Martínez Montañés (who also collaborated on the work). The daring stability of the statue was calculated by Galileo Galilei: the horse rears, and the entire weight of the sculpture balances on the two rear legs—and, discreetly, its tail— a feat that had never been attempted in a figure on a heroic scale, of which Leonardo had dreamed.

View of the park facing the Royal Palace

​

 

[Asian Nicole]

Hello Gentlemen,

The Plaza de Oriente is a square in the historic center of Madrid. Rectangular in shape and monumental in character, it was designed in 1844 by Narciso Pascual y Colomer. The square was propagated by King Joseph I, who ordered the demolition of the medieval houses on the site.

The Plaza de Oriente is located between some important landmarks in Madrid: To the west is the Royal Palace; to the east is the Teatro Real (Royal Theater); to the north is the Royal Monastery of the Incarnation. The plaza has statues of 44 Spanish kings from the medieval period, including: Alfonso I of Asturias; Alfonso II of Asturias; Euric etc.

 

[Asian Nicole]

Hello Gentlemen,

The Teatro Real is an opera house in Madrid, Spain. Located at the Plaza de Oriente, opposite the Royal Palace, and known colloquially as El Real, it is considered the top institution of the performing and musical arts in the country and one of the most prestigious opera houses in Europe.

The groundbreaking of the Teatro Real was on 23 April 1818, under the reign of King Ferdinand VII, and it was formally opened by his daughter Queen Isabella II on 19 November 1850. The Teatro Real received the "Opera Company of the Year" award at the 2020/21 International Opera Awards. The building is listed as a Bien de Interés Cultural since 1993.

​

 

[Asian Nicole]

I found a nice restaurant near the Opera House, and had a fantastic dinner there. Yummy!

 

[Asian Nicole]

Hello Gentlemen,

After dinner, I had a nice city walk along the Gran Via street - The most famous street in Madrid, and the main tourist and shopping artery, starts at C/Alcalá and runs 1.3 kilometres to its end at Plaza de España. Throughout over 100 years, Gran Vía has had various names depending on the incumbent government. In 1981, during the Spanish Transition, the iconic street was dubbed Gran Vía. Throughout its long history, Gran Vía has been home to Madrid’s first department stores and some of the best entertainment spots in the city.

 

[Asian Nicole]

Hello Gentlemen,

The Cathedral of Saint Mary the Royal of the Almudena, commonly known as the Almudena Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Madrid. It is the seat of the Archdiocese of Madrid. A fairly young cathedral by Spanish standards, its construction began in 1883 and finished over a century later, when it was consecrated by Pope John Paul II in 1993.

When the capital of Spain was transferred from Toledo to Madrid in 1561, the seat of the Church in Spain remained in Toledo and the new capital had no cathedral. Plans for a cathedral in Madrid dedicated to the Virgin of Almudena were discussed as early as the 16th century.

It is located opposite the Royal Palace and much of its final appearance was defined considering this regal surrounding.

Consecration of the Cathedral in 1993 by Pope John Paul II.

Altar to the Virgin of Almudena​

 

[Asian Nicole]

Hello Gentlemen,

The Prado Museum, officially known as Museo Nacional del Prado, is the main Spanish national art museum, located in central Madrid. It houses collections of European art, dating from the 12th century to the early 20th century, based on the former Spanish royal collection, and the single best collection of Spanish art.

Founded as a museum of paintings and sculpture in 1819, it also contains important collections of other types of works. The numerous works by Francisco Goya, the single most extensively represented artist, as well as by Hieronymus Bosch, El Greco, Peter Paul Rubens, Titian, and Diego Velázquez, are some of the highlights of the collection. Velázquez and his keen eye and sensibility were also responsible for bringing much of the museum's fine collection of Italian masters to Spain, now one of the largest outside of Italy.

Velázquez or the Statue of Velázquez is an instance of public art in Madrid. Located in front of the main gate of the Prado Museum. It is dedicated to Diego de Velázquez.

The Garden of Earthly Delights, between 1480 and 1505

Diego Velázquez, Las Meninas, between 1656 and 1657

Rogier van der Weyden, The Descent from the Cross, c. 1435

Albrecht Dürer Adam and Eve, 1507

 

[Asian Nicole]

Hello Gentlemen,

The Prado was ranked as the 16th most-visited museum in the list of most-visited art museums in the world in 2020. It is one of the largest museums in Spain. The Prado, with the nearby Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum and the Museo Reina Sofía, forms Madrid's Golden Triangle of Art, which was included in the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2021.

The collection currently comprises around 8,200 drawings, 7,600 paintings, 4,800 prints, and 1,000 sculptures, in addition to many other works of art and historic documents. As of 2012, the museum displayed about 1,300 works in the main buildings, while around 3,100 works were on temporary loan to various museums and official institutions. The remainder were in storage.

​

 

[Asian Nicole]

Hello Gentlemen,

Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid is an 20 acres botanical garden in Madrid. The public entrance is located at Plaza de Murillo, next to the Prado Museum. The garden was founded on October 17, 1755, by King Ferdinand VI. It contained more than 2,000 plants.

Today's garden is divided into seven major outdoor sections and five greenhouses which allow the cultivation of species which are not suited to Madrid's Continental Mediterranean climate. Total collections include about 90,000 plants and flowers, and 1,500 trees.

 

[Asian Nicole]

Wishing you a wonderful Civic Day long weekend, my darling!

 

[Asian Nicole]

Hello Gentlemen,

The Puerta de Alcalá is a Neo-classical gate in the Plaza de la Independencia in Madrid. It was a gate of the former Walls of Philip IV. It stands near the city center and several meters away from the main entrance to the Parque del Buen Retiro. The square is bisected by Alcalá Street, although the street does not cross through the monument, and it is the origin of the Alfonso XII, Serrano and Olózaga streets. Its name originates from the old path from Madrid to the nearby town of Alcalá de Henares.

Madrid in the late 18th century still looked like a somewhat drab borough, surrounded by medieval walls. Around the year 1774, King Charles III commissioned Francesco Sabatini to construct a monumental gate in the city wall through which an expanded road to the city of Alcalá was to pass, replacing an older, smaller, gate that stood nearby. It was inaugurated in 1778.

​