Lifestyle
2025-11-07
Salamanca District: elegance and architectural refinement in the heart of Madrid
Wide boulevards, 19th-century palaces and luxury boutiques define Madrid’s Salamanca District — a neighborhood where architecture, heritage and lifestyle meet with timeless grace.
.jpg "Salamanca District: elegance and architecture | BARNES Madrid")
The Salamanca District embodies Madrid’s most refined version of urban life. Designed in the mid-19th century by Carlos María de Castro as part of the city’s ambitious Plan de Ensanche, it marked the beginning of modern urban planning in Spain.
Unlike the medieval streets of the old city, Salamanca’s grid layout and broad avenues reflected a new era of order, hygiene and social prestige. It was conceived for the emerging bourgeoisie, who built elegant residences in an eclectic blend of French and neoclassical styles, creating a neighborhood of harmony and grandeur.
Along Serrano, Velázquez and Claudio Coello streets, luxury boutiques and cafés coexist with architectural masterpieces. Among them, the Liria Palace, designed by Ventura Rodríguez in 1773, stands out as one of Madrid’s finest neoclassical buildings. Residence of the House of Alba, it holds a vast art and literary collection, including a 1605 edition of Don Quixote.
Equally striking is the Palacio de Longoria, built in 1904 by José Grases Riera. This modernist gem — with its sinuous façade, floral motifs and stained-glass dome — is one of the most beautiful examples of art nouveau in Madrid and now houses the Spanish Society of Authors and Publishers (SGAE).
Salamanca remains a living expression of sophistication. Its architecture, gastronomy and cultural offerings merge the classical and the contemporary, making it one of Europe’s most desirable districts to live in.
At BARNES Madrid, specialists in luxury real estate in the Salamanca District, we understand that living here is a lifestyle choice — a statement of elegance rooted in history and comfort.
Unlike the medieval streets of the old city, Salamanca’s grid layout and broad avenues reflected a new era of order, hygiene and social prestige. It was conceived for the emerging bourgeoisie, who built elegant residences in an eclectic blend of French and neoclassical styles, creating a neighborhood of harmony and grandeur.
Along Serrano, Velázquez and Claudio Coello streets, luxury boutiques and cafés coexist with architectural masterpieces. Among them, the Liria Palace, designed by Ventura Rodríguez in 1773, stands out as one of Madrid’s finest neoclassical buildings. Residence of the House of Alba, it holds a vast art and literary collection, including a 1605 edition of Don Quixote.
Equally striking is the Palacio de Longoria, built in 1904 by José Grases Riera. This modernist gem — with its sinuous façade, floral motifs and stained-glass dome — is one of the most beautiful examples of art nouveau in Madrid and now houses the Spanish Society of Authors and Publishers (SGAE).
Salamanca remains a living expression of sophistication. Its architecture, gastronomy and cultural offerings merge the classical and the contemporary, making it one of Europe’s most desirable districts to live in.
At BARNES Madrid, specialists in luxury real estate in the Salamanca District, we understand that living here is a lifestyle choice — a statement of elegance rooted in history and comfort.
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.jpg "Malasaña: living and investing in central Madrid | BARNES Madrid News")