June 16, 2009
We started the day off in front of the Catedral de Santiago.
Catedral de Santiago
This is the end of the pilgrimage route from France through the northern part of Spain. The plaza it faces is home to many of the government buildings for the region.
June 11, 2009
Architect: Rafael Moneo
Date: 1980-1985
Location: Merida, Spain
The National Museum of Roman Art was built to display the Roman artifacts from around Spain. It was designed to use the Roman style as a source of style. The entire building appears to be constructed from Brick but instead the brick is a fromwork for the reinforced concrete. From the outside the building tries to not appear massive through the use of buttresses that line the main street facade.
National Museum of Roman Art Exterior
June 2, 2009
In the morning we visited the Museo del Prado. There was some really nice work inside the museum but one of the most interesting was the Las Meninas. This painting was to be of the King and Queen but instead they are represented in the mirror in the far back causing the viewer to be placed as the King and Queen.
Las Meninas (not my photo)
June 1, 2009
Architect: Jean Nouvel
Date: 2005
Location: Madrid, Spain
We approached the Reina Sofia from the plaza on the opposite side of the new addition. From this side the only visible signs of the addition is a pair of elevator towers.
Reina Sofia Old Section
June 1, 2009
Architect: Herzog & De Muron
Date: 2008
Location: Madrid, Spain
In Spain it is common for banks to create free cultural institutions and the Caixa Forum is one of the prominent examples. The bank la Caixa commissioned Herzog & de Meuron to design this building. The building is built within and on top of the hollowed out existing industrial building.
Caixa Forum