UF in Madrid

Next spring, I have the opportunity to participate in a foreign exchange program through the Heavener School of Business at the University of Florida. As a marketing major planning to complete a Spanish minor, studying in Spain was a logical choice. After narrowing my choices, I have decided to study at the private Universidad Antonio de Nebrija in Madrid. In addition to the educational value of studying at a foreign university, I am looking forward to experiencing the country on my own and becoming immersed in Spanish culture during this three month adventure.

by Nina Vanell

Things to Do:

 

After years in Spanish classrooms lined with vibrant posters of matadors facing off against ferocious bulls, I have become convinced that bullfighting is an essential aspect of Spanish tradition. As such, I am determined to watch a bullfight at the beautiful Plaza de Toros de las Ventas. The season begins at the end of March and continues through October, but the peak of the season is during the San Isidros festival in May and June. During the festival, the bullfights occur nightly, while the rest of the season they are held only on Sunday evenings.

Although this tradition has been carried on since the 1100s, the brutality of the sport has raised ethical concerns. Over 10,000 bulls are killed each year in Spain during these violent displays of strength and bravery. While this is definitely an aspect of Spanish culture worth seeing as a foreigner, it is hard for me to accept the cruelty of a tradition that has carried on for centuries.

Of course, soccer (I mean football, sorry) dominates my perception of Madrid. I am incredibly excited to watch a Real Madrid football game at the massive Santiago Bernabeu Stadium that holds up to 130,000 visitors. As the national sport, football plays a huge role in Spanish life. Fans are known for their passionate enthusiasm in support of their favorite team. Every weekend from September through June, games take place in the arena. Tickets can be bought online for 35 EUR, about $40.

When I told one of my friends that I was planning to do foreign exchange in Spain, he strongly encouraged me to choose a school in Madrid based on his past experiences there. I asked him to tell me one thing I could not miss out on while living in Madrid. His response: watch a traditional flamenco dance. Usually, the dancers provide entertainment at restaurants and bars, so I will definitely be exposed to this aspect of Spanish culture.

It was interesting for me to learn about the significance of flamenco dance in Spain, yet another way that the traditional roots of Spanish culture are preserved. Flamenco is an emotional and passionate art form that originated with gypsies in southern Spain. The basic combination of dance, song, and guitar became widely popular, and flamenco spread throughout the country.

Golden Triangle of Art:

The Prado Museum (Museo Nacional del Prado) is considered to be the top national museum in Spain. As an art enthusiast, I am incredibly excited to see the original masterpieces of Goya, Bosch, Raphael, Rembrandt, Veláquezand Ribera in person. The museum is home to close to 5,000 famous historical paintings collected by the Spanish monarchs, with the largest and most significant collection of Spanish art in the world. Tickets can be bought online or at the ticket booth for 14EUR general admission (about $16), but admission is free for students under the age of 25. The museum hours are below:

•     Open: Monday to Saturday: 10am-8pm, Sundays and holidays: 10am-7pm

•     Closed: January 1, May 1, and December 25

•     Reduced hours: January 6, December 24 and 31: 10am-2pm

After visiting the Prado, I also would like to see the Royal Botanical Garden established by Carlos III in 1781. Located next to the museum, the garden spans 20 acres and houses over 30,000 species from five continents. The admission fee is only 2 EUR and the gardens are open to the public year round. 

The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía is another highly important national museum that houses around 20,000 works from the 20th century. This museum proudly houses the infamous Guernica painting by Picasso, as well as works by Dalí and Miró. Overall, the collections form a cohesive history of Spanish art as the styles have developed over the past century. Admission is free of charge on Mondays 7:00-9:00pm, Wednesday-Saturday 7:00-9:00pm, and Sundays from 1:30-7:00pm. Within the museum, visitors can also explore the immense art history research center and reading room free of charge during open hours.

Finally, the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza houses around 1,000 works of art from the 13th-20th century. The museum's most prized pieces include work by Cézanne, van Gogh, Picasso, Dürer, Canaletto, and Francis Bacon—just to name a few. Although this museum has a smaller collection than those of the Reina Sofia and the Prado, the works at the Thyssen represent a variety of art movements with select pieces from the most highly esteemed artists from the past 900 years.

For students, admission to the Thyssen is reduced to 7 EUR Tuesdays-Sundays. Also, entry to the Permanent Collections is free to the public during open hours every Monday. During the week, the museum is open:

•     Monday: 12:00-4:00pm

•     Tuesday-Sunday: 10:00am-7:00pm

Historical Sites:

The Royal Palace of Madrid was originally the Alcazar of Madrid, which was made the official home of the Spanish monarchs in 1561. The Alcazar burned down in 1734, to be replaced in 1751 by the Royal Palace which is still standing today. The palace is ornately decorated with sculptures, portraits of the ancient Spanish monarchs, much of the original hand-crafted furniture, and beautiful frescoes by Giambattista Tiepolo and Antonio Rafael Mengs. Incredibly, the palace is still the official residence of the Spanish monarch, King Felipe VI. Students under 25 years old can visit the palace for a reduced price of 5 EUR, and general admission is 10 EUR. 

•     October-March: open 7 days/week, 10:00am-6:00pm

•     April-September: open 7 days/week, 10:00am-8:00pm

King Philip II, who originally commissioned work on the Alcazar fortress in the 1500s, also designed the Royal Gardens: the Campo del Moro park. After walking around the lavish royal palace, visitors can tour the surrounding gardens for free. The garden, covering 20 acres of land, is designed with two marble fountains and beautiful tree lined pathways. To the east of the palace is the Plaza de Oriente. The plaza forms the entrance way to the palace, and is decorated with statues of the former Spanish monarchs and an iconic sculpture of a horse on its hind legs (modeled after a famous painting by Velázquez, Felipe IV on Horseback) that was designed by Pietro Tacca. The plaza is lined by cafes, shops, and the Royal Theater. 

 

The Basílica de San Francisco El Grande is considered one of the most famous churches in Spain, with the largest dome in the country. Named after Saint Francis of Assisi, the Roman Catholic church was built in the late 1700s by King Carlos III. It was built on the site of an ancient Franciscan convent that was constructed in the 1200s, supposedly by Saint Francis himself. One of the three adjacent chapels, the Chapel of San Bernardino de Siena, is adorned with a stunning painting by Goya that depicts Goya alongside Saint Bernardino. The church is decorated with German stained glass and frescoes, as well as many marble sculptures, Spanish paintings and wood carvings. After morning mass, admission includes a tour in Spanish for 3 EUR. Morning mass is open to the public, however the hours for tours are:

•     Monday-Saturday: 10:30am-12:30pm and 4:00-6:00pm (tours may be cancelled on Saturdays due to weddings or other religious services)

•     July-August: Tuesday-Sunday: 10:30am-12:30pm and 5:00pm-7:00pm

The Gran Via is a famous road that runs through the center of Madrid, often referred to as Spanish Broadway. The street was designed in the mid 1800s, but construction did not begin until 1904. The buildings that line this historic street are magnificent, and the area is popular for shopping, a vibrant nightlife, and entertainment venues. Of the famous landmarks found along this boulevard, the Metrópolis building and the Telefónica building are two of the most famous. The Metrópolis building was designed by French architects and is decorated with beautiful sculptures. The Telefónica building was the tallest skyscraper in Spain at the time of its construction in the 1920s.

The Buen Retiro Park is one of the most famous parks in Madrid, built on 350 acres of land at the heart of Madrid in the 1630s. The royal park contains the Rosaleada Garden (rose garden), the Palacio de Cristal (crystal palace) which was originally a royal greenhouse, the Retiro pond featuring a sculpture of King Alfonso XII on horseback, and an outdoor sculpture garden with statues of many influential Spanish monarchs. Originally owned by Spanish royalty, the park was opened to the public in the 19th century. Today, visitors can spend the day boating on the artificial pond, visiting the Spanish art and history museums, and exploring the luxurious royal gardens. Retiro Park is open every day of the year, 6:00am-midnight from May-September and 6:00am-11pm from October-April.

*If you are a college student interested in participating in a foreign exchange program, more information about the UF in Madrid program can be found at: http://warrington.ufl.edu/undergraduate/myheavener/intl/outgoing/Madrid.asp