Plaza del Callao (Madrid)

The Plaza del Callao is a public space in Madrid, Community of Madrid, Spain, located in the Sol neighbourhood, in the Centro district.

It is located at the end of Calle del Carmen and divides Calle de Preciados into two sections, as well as marking the beginning of the third section of Gran Vía, which ends at Plaza de España. The Plaza del Callao, like the second section of Gran Vía, was built between 1917 and 1922, although the final completion of the works would not take place until 1927.

The square existed before the great reform that the construction of the Gran Via entailed in 1910, its space was under the area of the San Martín suburb. Its name was given to this space in honour of the battle of Callao. It was a small square that was located on Preciados Street with Jacometrezo Street (before the reform this street went from the San Luis network).

When the works of the Gran Via began on February 4, 1917, the square began to take on a larger area (very similar to the current one). The first projects of internal reform considered a widening of the street Preciados (“Reform of the Extension of the street Preciados”) thus allowing a greater road capacity to the Puerta del Sol. This project was forgotten by the current one of the Gran Via.

Main attractions

Several unique buildings stand out in the square:

The Carrión Building, built in 1933 by Luis Martínez-Feduchi and Vicente Eced y Eced, with 14 floors, was one of the tallest buildings of its time in Madrid: Gran Vía 41.
The Press Palace, built in 1928 by Pedro Muguruza, at number 46, with 14 floors, was the tallest building in Madrid, until the 88-metre Telefónica Building, also on Gran Vía, took the title from it.
The Adriática Building, designed by architect Luis Sainz de los Terreros Gómez in 1926: Gran Vía 39.
The Fnac Building (formerly Galerías Preciados): a post-war building by architect Luis Gutiérrez Soto. With five floors, occupied by the Fnac chain.
Callao Cinema building from 1927, at number 3, built by Luis Gutiérrez Soto.

Madrid Metro

Callao Station is located in this square, a station on lines 3 and 5 of the Madrid Metro. The first goes from Moncloa to Villaverde Alto, passing through Sol Station, the second from Alameda de Osuna to Casa de Campo, in the west of the city.