Museo de Historia de Madrid, History museum in Madrid, Spain
The Museo de Historia de Madrid occupies a former royal hospice on Fuencarral Street, featuring an ornate Baroque facade designed in the 1670s. Its collections trace the city's story from when it became the capital through different periods of growth and change.
The building was constructed in 1673 as a hospice for the poor and later became a museum, opening as the Municipal Museum in 1929. Major renovations between 1955 and 1978 updated the interior while preserving its historical facade.
The building's origin as a shelter for the poor shaped how people today understand Madrid's role as a capital city. Visitors can see through paintings and objects how locals marked important moments through celebrations and community life across different eras.
The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday and sits near the Tribunal metro station for easy access. Plan to spend time moving through several floors of displays about the city's past and development.
The museum holds a painting by Francisco de Goya called 'Allegory of Madrid' that shows the city as a female figure. It also displays detailed paintings by Juan de la Corte showing how celebrations unfolded in Plaza Mayor and what the city looked like long ago.
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