The House of a million stories a deeper look inside Madrid’s History Museum

In the event you’ve ever walked down Calle Fuencarral, you’ve most likely stopped for a second to stare at that huge, swirling stone entrance at quantity 78. It appears like a large, carved wedding ceremony cake. That’s the Museo de Historia de Madrid, and for the reason that restoration was accomplished late final 12 months, it’s wanting completely spectacular.

However right here is the factor: most individuals simply take a photograph of the door and maintain strolling to the retailers. That’s a mistake. Inside, there’s a “soul” to this place that almost all museums simply don’t have.

Why this constructing feels completely different

Earlier than it was a museum, this was the Actual Hospicio de San Fernando. It wasn’t a palace for kings; it was a refuge for the town’s poor and forgotten. Whenever you stroll by means of the halls, you’re strolling by means of a spot that was constructed on compassion. You may nonetheless really feel that quiet, humble vitality within the Chapel, the place you’ll discover a huge, glowing portray by Luca Giordano that has watched over the town for hundreds of years.

Three issues to hunt for inside:

Goya’s “Political” Portray: Search for the Allegory of the Metropolis of Madrid. It’s a wonderful portray, however it has a scandalous secret. The oval a part of the portray has been repainted 4 completely different occasions. It began with the face of Joseph Bonaparte (Napoleon’s brother), then it was modified to “The Structure,” then again to a king, and at last to the easy “Dos de Mayo” date we see right this moment. It’s the Nineteenth-century model of “Photoshopping” somebody out of an image!

The Miniature Crowd: Everybody loves the enormous 1830 mannequin of the town, however my private favourite is the mannequin of the previous bullring. In the event you look carefully, there are lots of of tiny, hand-painted spectators within the stands. Each has a special expression. It’s a tiny, frozen second of Madrid’s each day life from a special century.

The Porcelain of El Retiro: We regularly neglect that Madrid was a world chief in luxurious. The gathering of porcelain from the Actual Fábrica del Buen Retiro is beautiful. The colours are so vivid they appear to be they have been painted yesterday, not 250 years in the past.

Taking advantage of the neighborhood

When you step again out into the twenty first century, don’t rush off. This a part of city (Tribunal) is the place the “previous” and “new” Madrid shake fingers.For the Romantic: Stroll two blocks to the Museum of Romanticism. It’s the right follow-up. Whereas the Historical past Museum tells the story of the town, the Romanticism Museum tells the story of a single household’s coronary heart.For the Trendy Soul: Head over to Plaza de San Ildefonso. Sit on a terrace with a caña (a small beer) and simply watch the world go by. This plaza has been a gathering spot for hundreds of years—you’re simply the newest individual to hitch the celebration.For the Sustainable Traveler: Try the second-hand retailers on Calle Velarde. It feels proper to go from a museum stuffed with historic garments to a store the place you’ll be able to truly purchase them.Why we expect you’ll love itWe love this museum as a result of it’s inclusive. It’s free, it’s accessible, and it tells the story of everybody—from the kings within the portraits to the orphans who lived within the hospice. To us, that’s the true “All-Included” spirit of Madrid.

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