About the Prado Museum
The Museo Nacional del Prado is one of the most important art galleries in the world and a benchmark of European art. Inaugurated in 1819 on the initiative of the Spanish monarchy, it was created to house the royal collections gathered over the centuries. Its neoclassical building, designed by Juan de Villanueva, reflects the enlightened spirit of the time. Today it preserves thousands of works that allow us to understand the artistic evolution from the Renaissance to the 19th century.
What to see during the visit
Highlights include masterpieces such as Las Meninas by Diego Velázquez, The Garden of Earthly Delights by Bosch and The 3rd of May 1808 by Francisco de Goya. Paintings by Peter Paul Rubens and Titian, fundamental artists in the royal collections, are also on display. The tour allows visitors to understand the evolution of European art through its great masters and historical contexts.
“Every painting is an adventure.” – Peter Paul Rubens
Curiosities
- The Prado Museum preserves more than 8,000 paintings, although only a part of them are exhibited to the public.
- Many works came to the museum from the private collections of the Spanish kings, especially the Habsburgs and the Bourbons.
- Las Meninas was considered for centuries an enigmatic work due to its complex play of gazes and perspectives, becoming one of the most studied paintings in the world.
