Matadero Madrid

Matadero Madrid is one of the places that surprise you. Located in the south of the city (Metro Legazpi, line 3), this industrial building that used to be the municipal slaughterhouse of Madrid has been redesigned (respecting the existing facades and structures) and adapted to house various forms of art and culture like painting, photography, theater, sculpture, reading areas, conferences, documentary and movie showings, etc., as a cultural center open to the public.

The building of all the rooms still not finished, since the renovation project is going on until 2012. There is a lot of space left to create all types of project, since the piece of land has 148,000 square meters. The industrial plants are well-lit, equipped with metal, huge windows and doors that are also transparent. The preservation of the old structure is the most appealing of this place, since it is a mix between the new design and the large industrial structures. The building dates back from the beginning of 1910 and the project was created by the municipal architect Luis Bellido.

This place is located in the Legazpi neighborhood, just in front of the Manzanares river. It used to be one of the industrial areas of the city of Madrid and represented one of the most characteristic architectural styles of the beginning of the 20th century. The slaughterhouse (matadero is the Spanish for slaughterhouse) was left abandoned until it finally stopped being a proper slaughterhouse, preserving the name and building.

Recently it has been renovated to improve the opening of Madrid to the river and the appearance of this part of Madrid. The tunnel under the M-30 road was really important for the renovation of this complex, nowadays housing various activities, from audiovisual to artistic. Theater works, music festival, etc.

It is for sure one of the greatest emblems of the modern Madrid. A remodeled space, open and representing many of the great values of the city: art, modernity, expression, culture, leisure...

In El Matadero, nowadays, you can do basically whatever you want: visit some very interesting exhibitions (as much from famous artists as new promises), attend one of the many events organized or, in the summer go and have a drink there, as I did. During the afternoon, there is a really nice terrace.

The truth is the place is great because it is also very well connected and located very close to La Latina, a good place to go afterwards to eat something.

Not a classic museum as Reina Sofia Museum. It’s composed by numerous buildings full of cafes, exhibitions, cinemas...

The expositions are temporary so you should check the website before going