Madrid's Prado Museum can count itself in an elite handful of global art museums, with a collection as famed for its quality as it is for its quantity – particularly when it comes to the Renaissance and Classical paintings of Europe. Works by Hieronymous Bosch, Rubens, Botticelli, van Dyck and Rembrandt hold pride of place, in a collection that ranges from the 12th to 19th centuries. Take a count, and you'll find over 7,000 paintings, 1,000 sculptures, and 13,000 prints and drawings housed here. Naturally, the works of Spanish artistic genius feature most prominently, with the Prado having world's most comprehensive collections of artists like Goya and Diego de Velázquez.That rich painting heritage is enough to draw nearly three million art-lovers into its hushed galleries every year, making the Prado Museum one of the top-ten art museums in Europe. The building itself is enthroned in the regal surroundings of Jeronimos, a district which includes the Retiro Park and Madrid's two other art museums – the Reina Sofia and the Thyssen Bornemisza. Taken together, the three are known as the Golden Triangle of Art in Madrid.But glorious as Madrid is now, it was long seen as a cultural backwater, even among the Spanish. It was King Charles III, in the 18th century who decided his capital needed the more cultural heavyweights to compete with other European capitals. The Prado Museum was just one of a number of grand museums, galleries and palaces started by this reforming ruler. It was started by architect Juan de Villanueva in 1785, and was originally earmarked as a natural history museum. But war intervened, and the building wasn’t to open to the public until 1819. By then it had become the National Museum of Painting and Sculpture, and housed all the extraordinary riches of the Royal Collection of the Habsburg and Bourbon monarchies, built up over three centuries. In a collection of such scope and beauty, it is difficult to pick out the must-sees – but there are two the Prado is most famed for. First Las Meninas, by Velázquez, a deceptive painting whose complex genius is only unveiled slowly. And second, Goya's 'Black Paintings', dark and deeply personal paintings from a Spaniard considered the last of the Old Masters.
Prado Museum Tours and Activities
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See all 21 activitiesOpens in new tabParque Warner from Madrid Full Day Trip
Tours & day trips
See all 688 activitiesOpens in new tabDay Tour to Toledo, Segovia & optional visit to Avila. 3 cities in 1 day
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Familiarise yourself with he layout of the museum and get an audio guide or book a tour guide to take you through.
Popular places to visit
Church of San Jeronimo El Real
The former royal church of Madrid is an awe-inspiring Gothic structure atop a serene, grassy knoll near the city center’s royal museum.
Paseo del Arte
You can enjoy some culture when you stop by Paseo del Arte in Madrid. Visit the shops and top-notch restaurants in this family-friendly area.
Plaza de Canovas del Castillo
Take photos at the iconic Fountain of Neptune before exploring the treasure trove of historic sites and gorgeous buildings that surround this famous Madrid square.
Fountain of Neptune
Snap photos of this emblematic fountain, which represents a mythological Greek god and is the perfect complement to the resplendent buildings of the Paseo del Prado.
Cason del Buen Retiro
Part of the Prado Museum, this neoclassical landmark is one of the last surviving buildings of a palace that once stood in El Retiro Park.
Royal Botanical Garden
Relax among the thousands of colorful and aromatic plants meticulously laid out in a garden located alongside Madrid’s busy Paseo del Prado.
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