Círculo de Bellas Artes: the view from Minerva's roof
The best view of central Madrid is from the roof of an arts club. From the terrace of the Círculo de Bellas Artes you look straight down on the dome of the Metrópolis building and along the Gran Vía and the Calle de Alcalá to the mountains.
- What it is
- Monument
- Time to allow
- 45 to 90 minutes
- Cost
- Ticket for the roof
- Best time
- An hour before sunset
Madrid this week
Why the Círculo de Bellas Artes is worth it
The Círculo de Bellas Artes was founded in 1880 by artists who wanted a club of their own. Its building, a tower of stone by Antonio Palacios on the Calle de Alcalá just past the start of the Gran Vía, was finished in 1926. The club is still one of the busiest cultural centres in the city, with exhibitions, a cinema, a theatre and talks.
On the roof, at the top of the tower, a bronze Minerva, the goddess of wisdom and the arts, looks out over the city. The terrace around her, the Azotea, is open to visitors.
From it you see the whole of the old centre: the Metrópolis and the Gran Vía below, the Plaza de Cibeles and its palace, the Royal Palace and the cathedral to the west and the Sierra de Guadarrama beyond.
What to see
The Metrópolis dome
The black and gold dome with its winged Victory, so close below that you seem to be looking down on its shoulders.
The Gran Vía
The avenue running west between its towers, with the Telefónica building half way along.
Cibeles
The square with the fountain of the goddess Cybele and the white Palacio de Cibeles, the city hall, to the east.
La Pecera
The café on the ground floor, a long room with tall windows on the Calle de Alcalá, is one of the city's great cafés.
How to do it well
- Buy the ticket for the roof at the door on the Calle de Alcalá. It is separate from the exhibitions.
- Go an hour before sunset, when the light turns the city gold. There is a bar on the terrace.
- On windy or stormy days the terrace may close.
- The Real Academia de San Fernando is a few minutes along the same street.
Where it is
Address
Calle de Alcalá 42, near the start of the Gran Vía
Nearest station
Banco de España or Sevilla (both line 2), two minutes on foot
Museums and sights nearby
- Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum300 m
- Museo Nacional del Prado600 m
- Plaza Mayor1.0 km
- Retiro Park1.1 km
Distances are in a straight line.
Tickets and tours: Círculo de Bellas Artes rooftop
Círculo de Bellas Artes rooftop: common questions
- How do you get to the rooftop of the Círculo de Bellas Artes?
- By the lift in the Círculo's building on the Calle de Alcalá, with a ticket for the roof bought at the entrance.
- What can you see from the Círculo de Bellas Artes?
- The dome of the Metrópolis building just below, the Gran Vía, the Plaza de Cibeles, the Royal Palace and the cathedral, and on a clear day the Sierra de Guadarrama.
- Who is the statue on the Círculo de Bellas Artes?
- Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom and the arts, the emblem of the club.
- How much time do you need for the Círculo de Bellas Artes?
- Allow 45 to 90 minutes. That is this site's estimate for an unhurried visit.
What visitors say about the Círculo de Bellas Artes
Rating from Google
Things to do near the Círculo de Bellas Artes
The nearest of this site's best things to do in the city. Distances are in a straight line.
- 4Walk seven centuries of painting at the Thyssen300 m awayMuseum, 2 to 3.5 hours, ticket, free on mondays
- 14Find Goya and Zurbarán at the Real Academia de San Fernando350 m awayMuseum, 1 to 2 hours, ticket
- 12Walk the Gran Vía and stand at Kilometre Zero in the Puerta del Sol600 m awayWalk, 1 to 2 hours, free
- 1Spend a morning with Velázquez and Goya at the Prado600 m awayMuseum, 2.5 to 5 hours, ticket, free in the last two hours
Artists to see near the Círculo de Bellas Artes
The museums nearest to here, and the most famous artists on show in each.
Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, 300 m away
Museo Nacional del Prado, 600 m away
Where to eat near the Círculo de Bellas Artes
The nearest of the famous tables this site lists in Madrid. Distances are in a straight line.
- Viva Madrid4.5Tavern, Barrio de las Letras450 m away
- Antigua Pastelería del Pozo4.5Pastry shop, Puerta del Sol450 m away
- Lhardy4.2Restaurant, Carrera de San Jerónimo450 m away
- Taberna de Ángel Sierra4.3Tavern, Chueca550 m away
Hotels near the Círculo de Bellas Artes
The five-star hotels closest to it, of those this site lists in Madrid. Distances are in a straight line.
- The Principal Madrid4.5Five-star hotel, Gran Vía150 m away
- JW Marriott Hotel Madrid4.6Five-star hotel, Canalejas350 m away
- Four Seasons Hotel Madrid4.6Five-star hotel, Canalejas350 m away
- The Palace, Madrid4.6Five-star hotel, Plaza de las Cortes400 m away