Madrid Autonomous Community Attractions

The Aqueduct of Segovia (or more precisely, the aqueduct bridge) is a Roman aqueduct and one of the most significant and best-preserved ancient monuments left on the Iberian Peninsula. It is the foremost symbol of Segovia, as evidenced by its presence on the city's coat of arms. As the aqueduct lacks a legible inscription (one was apparently located in the structure's attic, or top portion), the date of construction cannot be definitively determined. Researchers have placed it between the second half of the 1st Century CE and the early years of the 2nd Century—during the reign of either Emperor Vespasian or Nerva. The beginnings of Segovia itself are likewise not definitively known. Vacceos are known to have populated the area before the Romans conquered the city. Roman troops sent to control the area, which fell within the jurisdiction of the Roman provincial court (Lat...

The Prado Museum (Museo del Prado) is a museum and art gallery located in Madrid, Spain. It features one of the world's finest collections of European art, from the 12th century to the early 19th century, based on the former Spanish Royal Collection. Founded as a museum of paintings and sculpture, it also contains important collections of more than 5,000 drawings, 2,000 prints, 1,000 coins and medals, and almost 2,000 decorative objects and works of art. Sculpture is represented by more than 700 works and by a smaller number of sculptural fragments. The painting collection comprises about 7,800 paintings, of which only about 1,300 are at public display, mainly because of the museum's lack of space. A new, recently opened wing enlarged the display area by about 400 paintings, and it is currently used mainly for temporary expositions. El Prado is one of the most visited sites...

The Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial is an incredible 16th-century monument at the foot of Mount Abantos. The extensive grounds also include the Royal Pantheon, where the remains of late Spanish monarchs rest, and a grand Gothic basilica. The enormous monastery (also a Palace) was commissioned by Philip II to commemorate his victory in the battle of San Quentín. Its bleak location, on the misty SE slope of the Sierra de Guadarrama, may not be an obvious choice for a royal residence, but perhaps reflects the restraint and power of a man who governed the greatest empire of his time from a small office. The Monastery of El Escorial is the most prominent building in the town and is one of the main Spanish Renaissance monuments. The Valley of the Fallen also falls within the boundaries of the municipality. The monastery and its historic surroundings were decl...