If you are planning to visit Madrid for a holiday trip, the suggestion would be to make yourself free for at least a week. This is because there are so many places worth seeing in and around Madrid that just one or two days of stay will not be sufficient. There are churches, cathedrals, museums, parks, port and a host of other places of interest. If you have fascination for shopping, you may require one or two days for shopping itself. One interesting aspect of shopping in Madrid is that one need not go from one locality to another for shopping. Everything is available in one centrally located area called Gran Via.
Gran Via is an area or a road where many shopping malls are located. It is a very well planned locality exclusively built for shoppers. In addition to shops, there are about six theaters for the recreation of the shoppers and customers. Buildings have been built in traditional Spanish or Gothic designs. There are also several bars, restaurants, hotels, etc.
Gran via has a history. The construction of a separate shopping area was first conceived in 1904. It required demolition of old structures and then building new ones in their place. This concept received severe protest from the population. Some cynics called it a ‘Grand Via’ or ‘Great Road’. Ironically, after the completion of the work, the street took the name ‘Grand Via’. After initial trouble, the project was approved in 1904. It was completed in 1952.
This road has some spectacular buildings. Calle de Alcala is one of the most popular buildings. It is known for its architectural excellence. Followed by this building is the Metropolis Building which competes with its counterpart the Calle de Alcala building in architectural elegance. There are many such buildings in the ‘Gran Via’ locality.
Separate area has been earmarked for theatres. But now some of the theaters have been converted to shopping malls. The entire Gran Via has been divided into three parts and each of these parts has been named appropriately.
Now, Gran Via is a busy street, a well planned street and the ideal place for shopping. It has all the facilities a shopper and a customer would require. The entire area is luxuriously illuminated and during night time it is certainly a pleasure to watch this locality ‘Gran via’. Normally tourists visiting Madrid make it a point to visit Gran Via.
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