Description

Essentials about the Círculo de Bellas Artes in brief

The Círculo de Bellas Artes (Society of Fine Arts) is one of the most important private cultural institutions in Spain. Located at the intersection of the two boulevards Gran Vía and Calle de Alcalá, the multidisciplinary cultural institution hosts a wide variety of activities ranging from fine arts and literature to cinema, theater, philosophy and science.

The history and architecture of the Círculo de Bellas Artes

The Círculo de Bellas Artes was created in 1880 on the initiative of some artists. Especially around 1900, the institution gained glamor and glitz through people like the Nobel Prize winner Jacinto Benavente and the comedy poet Carlos Arniches. The young Pablo Picasso took painting lessons here and the Spanish playwright Ramón María del Valle-Inclán frequented the Círculo’s salon.

Incidentally, the building of the Círculo de Bellas Artes is the work of the famous Spanish architect Antonio Palacio, who also designed the buildings of the Cybele Palace and the Banco Central on Calle de Alcalá, which are only a short distance away. The building, inaugurated in 1926, is now a protected monument.

The program of the Círculo de Bellas Artes

1983 saw the de facto reestablishment of the Círculo de Bellas Artes. The previously rather closed elitist artists’ society opened up to the public. A look at the program of the Círculos in for art lovers is definitely worthwhile. Exhibitions, lectures, congresses, book presentations, concerts and plays take place here. The building even has its own cinema and radio station. The Círculo de Bellas Artes also owns over 1,200 works of art, such as paintings, sculptures and pieces of furniture, as well as an archive of over 3,000 books and historical documents.

The view from the Círculo de Bellas Artes

If you need a little fresh air and a drink after so much culture, you can take a glass elevator from the lobby to the building’s roof terrace. Here you’ll find a bistro-restaurant and a magnificent view of the surrounding streets and squares, especially the famous Gran Vía and the beautiful Plaza de Cibeles.

Website

circulobellasartes.com

Opening hours

Opening hours exhibitions:

Admission fees

Adults: €5.50

Seniors (Ages 66 and above): €4

Students: €4

Children (Ages 7 – 12): €4

Small children (Ages 6 and under): free

Address

Getting there

By public transport:

Metro line 2: Stop Banco de España

Bus lines 1, 2, 5, 9, 51, 52, 53, 74, 146 and 150: Stop Círculo De Bellas Artes

By car:

The nearest parking garage is Parking Las Cortes.