At the corner of Calle de Alcalá and Gran Vía, the Metropolis Building is one of Madrid’s most recognizable landmarks. Its Beaux-Arts façade has Corinthian columns and ornate detailing, while a dark slate dome with gold decoration rises above the junction. Look up to spot Winged Victory, the statue crowning the dome. The building was completed in 1911 as the headquarters of La Unión y el Fénix. It is an exterior sight, best appreciated from the street, and its illuminated dome stands out after dark.
A French design on Madrid’s main streets
The Metropolis Building stands where Gran Vía meets Calle de Alcalá, at the southern end of Gran Vía. French architects Jules and Raymond Février won an international competition for its design, commissioned by the insurance company La Unión y el Fénix. The building was completed in 1911, when its height made it one of Madrid’s tallest structures.
The façade draws on Beaux-Arts architecture, a French style that gained prominence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Corinthian columns and sculpted ornament give the exterior much of its detail. From the pavement, the dome and the statue above it are the features that most clearly distinguish the building in the busy junction.
The dome and its crowning figure
The dark slate dome is decorated with gold details. Its surface is reported to contain around 30,000 gold leaves, and the figure of Winged Victory crowns the structure. The statue was added in 1975. The building’s current name dates from its sale in the 1970s to the insurance company Metrópolis; it had originally been built for La Unión y el Fénix.
The building is an office, so the visit is from the street rather than inside. Its position on two major thoroughfares gives several angles for viewing the dome and façade. The view from Calle de Alcalá and the nearby Plaza de Cibeles is particularly useful for seeing the statue above the roofline. After dark, the illumination brings out the building’s outline and gold details.
Preguntas frecuentes
Where is the Metropolis Building in Madrid?
It is on the corner of Calle de Alcalá and Gran Vía, at the southern end of Gran Vía.
Can you go inside the Metropolis Building?
No. It is an office building, so visitors see it from the street.
What is on top of the Metropolis Building?
A dark slate dome with gold decoration is topped by a statue of Winged Victory.
When is the best time to see the Metropolis Building?
Go in the evening to see it illuminated. For a view of the statue above the roofline, look from Calle de Alcalá or Plaza de Cibeles.
