The Prado Museum is Madrid's main cultural centre and one of the largest art galleries in the world. Its impressive display of works by European masters such as Velázquez, Goya, Rafael, Rubens and Bosch (among other great Italian and Flemish artists) is housed in an 18th-century neoclassical building that opened as a museum in 1819.
The name of the museum derives from the place in which it is located, formerly an orchard area known as "Prado." The Spanish queen of the time had been impressed by the Louvre in Paris and wanted to show off a vast collection in her country. The result is several thousand works today, with a recent, modern expansion allowing for more to be displayed.
You will know everything the artists wanted to convey with their work, their lives and the hidden circumstances behind the paintings, as well as the historical period in which they were created. Learn about the history of Spain from your expert guide and learn more about Spanish culture.
