Madrid Running Tours

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28 June 2018

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Architecture in Madrid throughout history: Neoclassicism

With the arrival of Charles III to the Spanish throne in 1728, the Baroque movement which was in its peak during the reigns of his father Philip V and brother, Ferdinand VI, now enters into its latter and less ornate phase which will lay the groundwork for Neoclassicism which will begin in the mid- eighteenth century and last throughout the 19th century. His chief architect will be Francesco Sabatini whose works, as mentioned in a prior blog article; will leave a lasting mark on the architecture of Madrid. Many of Sabatini’s structures, such as the Puerta de Alcalá, can be seen running through Madrid! If you’d like to join us on your own private running tour through Madrid you can try our Classic Madrid run or choose from a wide selection of running tours readily available for you in the Tours section of our website! 

 

Neoclassic architecture takes its inspiration from the clean, classic and rational lines of Greek, Roman and Renaissance art. If Francesco Sabatini represents the latter, less ornate and more austere phase of the late Baroque in Spain, the Spanish architect, Juan de Villanueva will be the first architect to truly bring Neoclassic architecture to Madrid.

 

Juan de Villanueva began his work in Madrid during the reign of Charles III and continued on the arrival of Charles IV, who will name him chief architect to the Spanish throne. His masterpiece and a perfect example of Neoclassic architecture is the Prado Museum. He also, among other works, renovated the Plaza Mayor after a fire destroyed most of it in 1790. You, of course, can see what Villanueva did in the Plaza Mayor of Madrid by running with us on our Old Madrid running tour!

 

We love running in Madrid at Madrid Running Tours and while we’re at it we also love to throw in a hefty amount of culture and interesting anecdotes that we’re more than sure that you’ll enjoy if you decide to join us on a private running tour! Contact us.

 

And when you finish your running tour through Madrid with us, you can then check out and discover the best of what Madrid has in store with with Momondo’s City Guides.

 

 

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