Location: Museo Thyssen-
Bornemisza
Tel. 91- 369 01 51
Subway: Banco de Espana, Sevilla
Buses: 1,2,5,9,14,15,20
Open: 10 am- 7 pm Tue- Sun (Jul- Aug 10 am- midnight Tue- Sun)
www.museothyssen.org
The Museo Nacional del Prado in Madrid, Spain, stands as a masterpiece of neoclassical architecture, originally conceived during the Enlightenment era and continually adapted to serve as one of the world's premier art institutions. Its design reflects the grandeur and rationality of 18th-century Spanish architecture, while subsequent expansions have integrated modern elements while preserving historical integrity.
Origins and Construction (Late 18th Century)
The history of
the Museo Nacional del Prado begins in 1785, when King Charles III
commissioned the renowned neoclassical architect Juan de Villanueva
to design a building intended to house the Royal Cabinet of Natural
History. This structure, located on the Paseo del Prado in Madrid,
was part of a broader Enlightenment-era initiative to promote
scientific and cultural institutions in Spain. However, construction
was halted during the Peninsular War (1808–1814), part of the larger
Napoleonic Wars, which caused significant damage and delays. The
building's original purpose shifted dramatically under King
Ferdinand VII, influenced by his second wife, Queen María Isabel de
Braganza, who advocated for its transformation into a royal art
museum to showcase the Spanish Crown's vast collection and assert
Spain's artistic parity with other European nations. This decision
was also motivated by the need to consolidate and protect artworks
scattered across royal residences, many of which had been looted or
dispersed during the French invasion.
Founding and Early
Years (1819–Mid-19th Century)
The museum officially opened to the
public on November 19, 1819, as the Royal Museum of Paintings and
Sculptures, marking it as one of the first public art galleries in
Europe. Its inaugural catalog listed 311 paintings, though the
collection already exceeded 1,510 works drawn primarily from the
royal residences (Reales Sitios). The core of the collection
originated in the 16th century under Holy Roman Emperor Charles V
(King Charles I of Spain), who began amassing artworks, and was
significantly expanded by subsequent Habsburg and Bourbon monarchs.
Philip II, a key patron of Titian, added Italian Renaissance
masterpieces, while Philip IV commissioned works from Diego
Velázquez and acquired Flemish art through Rubens. Notable early
highlights include Hieronymus Bosch's The Garden of Earthly
Delights, El Greco's The Nobleman with his Hand on his Chest,
Raphael's The Holy Family (known as La Perla), Titian's Emperor
Charles V at Mühlberg, Velázquez's Las Meninas, Rubens's The Three
Graces, and Goya's The Family of Charles IV.
In 1868, following
the exile of Queen Isabella II, the museum was nationalized and
renamed the Museo Nacional del Prado, reflecting Spain's political
upheavals during the Glorious Revolution. The name "Prado" derives
from the site's location on the meadow (prado) of San Jerónimo. By
1872, the collection grew with the incorporation of artworks from
suppressed monasteries and convents, including pieces from the Museo
de la Trinidad, such as the School of Jan van Eyck's The Fountain of
Grace and several El Greco canvases. 19th-century Spanish paintings,
including those by Federico de Madrazo, Vicente López, and Joaquín
Sorolla, came from the defunct Museo de Arte Moderno in 1896.
Growth and Challenges (Late 19th–Early 20th Century)
The
museum's collection continued to expand through bequests, donations,
and purchases. Significant additions included Francisco Goya's
"Black Paintings" donated by Baron Emile d'Erlanger in 1881. Other
notable bequests were Pablo Bosch's medals (1915–1931), Pedro
Fernández Durán's drawings and decorative arts (1931), and Ramón de
Errazu's 19th-century paintings (1904). Visitor numbers surged,
necessitating expansions to Villanueva's original building, which
reached capacity by the early 20th century.
The Spanish Civil War
(1936–1939) posed a major threat: artworks were evacuated to
Valencia and then Geneva under League of Nations protection to avoid
bombing damage in Madrid. They were safely returned in 1939.
Post-war, under Francisco Franco's dictatorship, the museum focused
on conservation and limited expansions. In 1971, it annexed the
Casón del Buen Retiro, a 17th-century remnant of the Buen Retiro
Palace, for additional space.
Modern Era and Expansions (Late
20th–21st Century)
The transition to democracy after Franco's
death in 1975 brought modernization. In 1981, Pablo Picasso's
Guernica was added but controversially transferred to the Reina
Sofía Museum in 1992 to align with the Prado's focus on
pre-20th-century art. Key acquisitions in this period included El
Greco's Fable (1993) and The Flight into Egypt (2001), Goya's The
Countess of Chinchón (2000), and Velázquez's Portrait of the Pope's
Barber (2003).
A major milestone was the 2007 completion of a
235,000-square-foot expansion designed by Pritzker Prize-winning
architect Rafael Moneo, which integrated modern spaces for
exhibitions, conservation, and visitor services while preserving the
neoclassical facade. This was accompanied by legal reforms in
2003–2004, granting the museum greater autonomy and self-financing
capabilities.
The museum celebrated its bicentennial in 2019 with
exhibitions like "A Place of Memory," highlighting its role in
Spanish cultural identity amid political changes. In 2016, plans
were announced for renovating the Salón de Reinos (Hall of Realms),
another Buen Retiro Palace remnant acquired in 2015, by architects
Norman Foster and Carlos Rubio Carvajal. Approved in 2020–2021 with
€36 million in funding, this project aims to add 61,500 square feet
of space and is expected to be completed in the mid-2020s,
potentially by 2026.
Recent years have seen ongoing exhibitions,
such as those on Anton Raphael Mengs (2025–2026) and Juan Muñoz
(2025–2026), emphasizing the museum's commitment to historical and
contemporary dialogues. As of 2026, the Prado holds over 8,000
paintings, 1,000 sculptures, and thousands of prints and drawings,
attracting over 3 million visitors annually.
Historical Context and Original Purpose
The Prado's main building
was commissioned in 1785 by King Charles III as part of a ambitious
urban redevelopment scheme for the Paseo del Prado, a monumental
boulevard intended to symbolize Enlightenment ideals of public
education, science, and culture. Architect Juan de Villanueva, a leading
figure in Spanish neoclassicism, was tasked with designing a structure
to house the Royal Cabinet of Natural History, aligning with the king's
vision for a space dedicated to scientific inquiry rather than art.
Construction began that year but was halted by the death of Charles III
in 1788 and the subsequent Peninsular War (1808–1814), during which the
unfinished building served as cavalry barracks and even a gunpowder
store for French troops. Work resumed under Ferdinand VII, who,
influenced by his wife Queen María Isabel de Braganza, repurposed the
building as the Royal Museum of Paintings and Sculptures. It opened to
the public on November 19, 1819, with an initial display of 311 works,
marking its transformation into an art museum. This shift from
scientific to artistic use set the stage for the building's
architectural evolution, as it needed to accommodate growing collections
and visitor numbers.
Original Design and Neoclassical Features
Villanueva's design embodies neoclassical principles, inspired by
ancient Greek and Roman architecture, with an emphasis on symmetry,
proportion, and harmonious integration with the urban landscape. Unlike
the ornate Baroque styles that preceded it, the Prado's architecture
prioritizes simplicity, clarity, and grandeur to evoke a sense of
timeless authority. The building is laid out on a strict north-south
axis, measuring approximately 150 meters in length, which facilitates
natural light distribution and creates a balanced, elongated form. Its
exterior uses local granite and stone, contributing to a restrained yet
imposing aesthetic that blends with nearby landmarks like the Royal
Botanical Garden.
Key exterior elements include:
Main Façade
(West, facing Paseo del Prado): This is the most iconic, featuring the
Velázquez entrance. A central portico projects forward, supported by six
massive Doric columns that create a temple-like entrance. Above the
portico is a pediment with a relief carving, flanked by statue-filled
niches on the ground level. The upper story includes windows framed by
an Ionic colonnade, adding vertical rhythm and classical elegance.
North Façade: Houses the Goya entrance, with a simpler design but
maintaining neoclassical symmetry through arched doorways and pilasters.
South Façade: Features the Murillo entrance, similarly understated, with
decorative elements echoing the main façade.
East Façade: Originally
the rear, it faced the Church of the Jerónimos and has been
significantly altered by later expansions.
Internally, the
original layout centers on a grand central hall on the ground floor,
measuring about 7.7 meters high, flanked by lateral spaces for
exhibitions and storage. The upper floors house long galleries lit by
large windows and skylights, designed to optimize natural illumination
for viewing artworks—a practical nod to Villanueva's Enlightenment
roots. The interior uses vaulted ceilings, marble flooring, and minimal
ornamentation to create serene, contemplative spaces that prioritize the
art over architectural flourish.
As the collection expanded—from Spanish masters like Velázquez and
Goya to broader European works—the Villanueva building underwent
numerous interventions, eventually reaching its limits by the late 20th
century. Early additions included minor enlargements in the 19th century
and short pavilions added to the rear between 1900 and 1960. A
significant 1918 expansion increased space for visitors, but the
museum's growth necessitated incorporating adjacent historical
structures, such as the Casón del Buen Retiro (a 17th-century remnant of
the Buen Retiro Palace, used for modern art until 1997) and the Salón de
Reinos (former Army Museum).
The most transformative expansion was
Rafael Moneo's Jerónimos extension, completed in 2007 as part of the
2001–2007 master plan. Selected through an international competition in
1998, Moneo's design added over 22,000 square meters (a 50% increase),
connecting to the original building's east façade via an underground
link to preserve Villanueva's structure visually intact. Key features
include:
Integration and Materials: The new brick-clad structure
wraps around the restored 17th-century Jerónimos Cloister (a Baroque
element originally by Fray Lorenzo de San Nicolás), which was dismantled
stone by stone (2,820 pieces), restored, and reassembled within a
concrete shell for seismic stability. Colmenar stone and bronze elements
echo the original building's palette, while a planted platform of box
hedges conceals the connection and evokes 18th-century gardens.
Exterior Design: The façade aligns with the Church of the Jerónimos,
featuring monumental bronze doors sculpted by Cristina Iglesias, which
serve as a modern artistic gateway.
Interior Layout: Three
public-access floors connected by double escalators, plus five mezzanine
levels for museum operations. Spaces include a glass-roofed foyer,
expanded galleries, a cafeteria, shops, and conservation facilities,
allowing for a more spacious and logical flow.
More recently, in
2016, Foster + Partners, in collaboration with Rubio Arquitectura, won a
competition to renovate the Salón de Reinos (Hall of Realms), another
Buen Retiro Palace remnant acquired in 2015. This project, approved in
2021 with a budget of 36 million euros, adds about 5,700 square meters
(2,500 for exhibitions) and focuses on restoring the 17th-century
palace's original features while adding contemporary sustainability
elements like solar panels. As of 2026, renovations are ongoing, with
completion expected to further expand the museum's "Prado Campus"
concept, integrating historical sites into a cohesive cultural district.
Architectural Significance and Current State
The Prado's
architecture is recognized as a Bien de Interés Cultural (Cultural
Heritage Asset) since 1962, underscoring its role in Madrid's urban
fabric. Villanueva's original design set a benchmark for museum
architecture, influencing institutions worldwide with its focus on
light, space, and public accessibility. The expansions, particularly
Moneo's sensitive integration, demonstrate a balance between
preservation and innovation, allowing the museum to handle over 3
million annual visitors while maintaining its neoclassical core. Today,
the complex spans multiple interconnected buildings, offering a seamless
blend of 18th-century grandeur, Baroque remnants, and 21st-century
functionality, making it a living testament to architectural adaptation.