Prado Museum

The Prado Museum, officially known as the Museo Nacional del Prado, traces its origins back to the late 18th century during the reign of Charles III. Originally conceived as a cabinet for Natural History, the neoclassical building was designed by architect Juan de Villanueva. However, the project faced significant delays during the Napoleonic Wars, when the structure was used as a cavalry headquarters. It wasn't until 1819, under King Ferdinand VII and encouraged by his wife Queen Maria Isabel of Braganza, that it finally opened its doors to the public as the Royal Museum of Painting and Sculpture. The core of the museum's collection is based on the former Spanish Royal Collection, reflecting the personal tastes of the Habsburg and Bourbon monarchs. This unique provenance explains the museum's exceptional depth in certain artists; it holds the world's most comprehensive collections of Diego Velázquez, Francisco Goya, and Hieronymus Bosch. Unlike many other major European museums that aim for encyclopedic breadth, the Prado is often described as a 'museum of painters,' offering an unparalleled concentration of masterpieces from the 12th to the early 20th centuries. Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, the Prado has undergone significant transformations to accommodate its growing prestige and visitor numbers. During the Spanish Civil War, the collection was famously evacuated to Geneva for safety. In 2007, the museum completed its largest expansion in history, designed by architect Rafael Moneo, which incorporated the nearby Cloister of San Jerónimo el Real. Today, it stands as a central pillar of Madrid's 'Golden Triangle of Art,' continuing to serve as a vital institution for the study and preservation of Western art history.