Congreso de los Diputados

Madrid


Spain’s lower house of parliament was originally a Renaissance building, but it was completely revamped in 1850 and given a facade with a neoclassical portal. The imposing lions watching over the entrance were smelted from cannons used in Spain’s African wars during the mid-19th century. On the day that they were mounted outside the parliament building, one irreverent Madrid newspaper wrote, ‘And what mouths they have! One might imagine them to be parliamentarians!’

It was here, on 11 February 1981, that renegade members of Spain’s Guardia Civil launched a failed coup attempt. Be sure to bring your passport if you want to visit.

Transportation

  • metro: Sevilla

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Madrid attractions

1. Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza

0.09 MILES

The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum is one of the three points composing Madrid’s Golden Triangle of Art along the Paseo del Prado (Art Walk), together with the…

2. Barrio de las Letras

0.12 MILES

The area that unfurls down the hill east of Plaza de Santa Ana is referred to as the Barrio de las Letras because of the writers who lived here during…

4. Círculo de Bellas Artes

0.14 MILES

For some of Madrid’s best views, take the lift to the 7th floor of the ‘Fine Arts Circle’. You can almost reach out and touch the glorious dome of the…

5. Casa de Lope de Vega

0.15 MILES

Lope de Vega may be little known outside the Spanish-speaking world, but he was one of the greatest playwrights ever to write in Spanish, not to mention…

6. Plaza de Neptuno

0.15 MILES

Officially known as Plaza de Cánovas del Castillo, the next roundabout south of Cibeles is something of a crossroads of Spanish nobility. The Ritz and the…

7. Edificio Metrópolis

0.16 MILES

Among the more interesting buildings along Gran Vía is the stunning, French-designed Edificio Metrópolis, built in 1905, which marks the southern end of…

8. Iglesia de Jesús de Medinaceli

0.17 MILES

Up to 100,000 people crowd Iglesia de Jesús de Medinaceli on the first Friday of Lent to kiss the right foot of a wooden sculpture of Christ (besapié;…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "spain/madrid/sol-santa-ana-huertas/attractions/congreso-de-los-diputados/a/poi-sig/1094836/1324670",
      "destination": "Madrid",
      "continent": "Europe",
      "country": "Spain",
      "city": "Madrid",
      "position": "superzone"
    }