{"id":6282,"date":"2020-01-28T16:15:17","date_gmt":"2020-01-28T16:15:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tiqets-blog-staging.local\/prado-museum-highlights\/"},"modified":"2025-08-29T10:04:14","modified_gmt":"2025-08-29T10:04:14","slug":"prado-museum-highlights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tiqets.com\/blog\/prado-museum-highlights\/","title":{"rendered":"The Prado Museum Highlights and Hidden Gems","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u2013 This post was written by Lauren Voges<\/strong> <\/strong>\u2013<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the most famous museum in Madrid and one of the largest, and most impressive, art museums in the world, it goes without saying that the Prado Museum is well worth seeing. So whether you\u2019re just passing through the Spanish capital or enjoying an extended stay, don\u2019t forget to add it to your agenda. Based on the former Spanish Royal Collection, the Prado Museum boasts world-renowned works by the likes of Vel\u00e1zquez, Goya, Titian and Rubens, and with over 7,000 artworks on display, you\u2019ll find hidden gems aplenty. 

This giant of a museum and its seemingly endless collection of famous paintings can seem intimidating. But fret not, fellow museum-goer! We\u2019re here to help you plan your visit and navigate your way through one of the best museums in Madrid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ready to go? Get your official Prado Museum tickets here<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Prado Museum highlights & famous paintings<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Prado Museum Highlight #1: The Building<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Designed in 1785 by Architect Juan de Villanueva, our first highlight of the Prado Museum is the building itself. <\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Prado<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The structure is a stunning example of Neoclassical architecture, which is characterised by a sense of grandeur, the use of columns and Roman detailing. The building has five entrances and a spacious great hall with a glass ceiling that allows for more light. 

King Charles III commissioned the building and originally intended for it to house the Natural History Cabinet. However, his grandson King Ferdinand VII and his wife Isabel of Braganza decided to turn the building into an art gallery instead. 

The museum was first opened to the public in 1819 and initially held some 300 paintings. Since then, the Prado has undergone several rounds of renovation and expansion, the most recent of which was completed in 2007. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Top tip: <\/strong>The Prado museum is vast, so it\u2019s worth picking up a free paper map at the entrance. All the rooms are numbered from 1 to 102 in Roman numerals. It\u2019s a good idea to brush up on your I, V, X, L and C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prado Museum Highlight #2: Famous paintings by Vel\u00e1zquez and Goya at the Prado<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the most impressive aspects of the Prado Museum collection is the sheer number of paintings the museum owns by some of the world\u2019s most famous painters. The Prado is home to more than 140 artworks by Francisco Goya and 61 artworks by Diego Vel\u00e1zquez. These are the largest collections of works by these two artists in the world. Fans of the great Spanish painters will delight in the opportunity to see so many of their works in one space. 

Some of our favourites include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

El Tres de Mayo 1808 by Goya<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
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\"El<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The Third of May, 1808 is believed by many to be one of the greatest paintings of all time, and it\u2019s been a must-see in the Prado Museum since 1827. Known to many art aficionados as the world\u2019s first modern painting, it\u2019s a frightening depiction of the horrors of war inflicted by the French on Spanish freedom fighters on 2 May 1808.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Goya\u2019s Black Paintings<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
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Witches\u2019 Sabbath (The Great He-Goat), Francisco Goya, 1821-23<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Goya had an illness that made him go deaf, and his anger and impatience with this situation resulted in a major change in his work, most notably in a series of 14 haunting paintings. The Black Paintings used to adorn the walls of Quinta del Sordo (House of the Deaf Man) and were transferred to canvas in 1873. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Top tip:<\/strong> If you\u2019re keen to keep your Prado Museum visit to less than 2 hours, skip straight to the Feeling Quick and Ambitious<\/em> section of this post. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prado Museum Highlight #3: Flemish artworks at the Prado Museum<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another Prado Museum highlight is their extensive collection of Flemish paintings. The category of Flemish paintings includes artworks that were produced between the 15th and 17th centuries in the region that we today know as Belgium. The Prado has nearly 1,000 Flemish paintings thanks to the Habsburg dynasty which ruled Spain and the low countries (Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg) between the 15th and 18th centuries. 

Some of our favourites include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Artemisia by Rembrandt<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
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\"Prado<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Rembrandt supposedly used his wife Saskia as the model for Artemisia<\/em> \u2013 which depicts a young queen draped in sumptuous finery. There is some confusion around which young queen is featured in the painting. It has two names: Artemisia Receiving Mausolus\u2019 Ashes <\/em>and Sophonisba Receiving the Poisoned Cup<\/em> and is signed \u201cREMBRANDT F: 1634″. If it depicts Artemisia, the cup she holds is likely an ash and herb homage to her dead husband. In the case of Sophonisba, it\u2019s the poison that killed her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Triumph of Death by Pieter Bruegel<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
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\"The<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

In this rather macabre painting, you’ll notice that while some people appear to be struggling against their fate, others seem fairly accepting of the arrival of death. This sinister panorama is courtesy of the Flemish master Pieter Bruegel and depicts the ever-present threat of death in medieval Europe, that was introduced by the Black Death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Top tip:<\/strong> Keen to hone in on the Prado\u2019s Flemish paintings collection? Some of the most famous Prado museum paintings in this category include: The Descent from the Cross<\/em> by Rogier van der Weyden, Hieronmyous Bosch\u2019s Garden of Earthly Delights<\/em> and Rembrandt\u2019s Judith at Holofernes\u2019 Banquet<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prado Museum Highlight #4: Italian artworks at the Prado Museum<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Of course, the Prado has a jaw-dropping collection of artworks by famed Italian painters as part of its artistic artillery! Titian is especially well represented at the Prado thanks to his close relationship with Charles V and Philip II. The Venetian Renaissance painter was responsible for several portraits of both Charles and his son and his style of official portraiture was adopted by many painters after him. 

There are more than 40 artworks by Titian on display at the Prado, a number of which are royal portraits. A favourite is his portrait of Charles V at M\u00fahlberg.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Equestrian<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

An impressive oil-on-canvas painting, this portrait of Charles V on Horseback was painted by Titian in 1548. It was created as a tribute to Charles V, after his victory against the Protestant armies in the April 1547 Battle of M\u00fahlberg. The gleam on Charles\u2019 armour and the use of deep reds on canvas represent heroism in battle.

The Prado Museum also features artworks by a number of well-known 17th-century, Italian painters including Caravaggio, Luca Giordano, Carracci, and Guercino. We can thank Philip IV for this part of the museum\u2019s collection. The Spanish monarch commissioned a number of works for his royal residence, the Buen Retiro, during his reign in 1621-1640. Don\u2019t miss these masterpieces: Caravaggio\u2019s David with the Head of Goliath<\/em> and Carracci\u2019s The Assumption of the Virgin<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Prado<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Prado Museum hidden gems<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As you\u2019ve no doubt worked out by now, Spain\u2019s national art museum is much more than a showcase for famous Spanish painters and their artworks. It\u2019s also home to some of the greatest Dutch, Italian, Greek and Flemish painters\u2019 artworks. In fact, the Prado has the largest collections of paintings by Bosch, Titian, El Greco and Rubens. 

If you\u2019re interested in looking past the Spanish names that the Prado is known for and more closely at some of the museum\u2019s hidden gems, we recommend making these a part of your Prado tour. <\/p>\n\n\n

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