Spain Casa Gallardo, Madrid

Casa Gallardo is one of Madrid’s most distinctive examples of late Modernist / Art Nouveau architecture. Located beside Plaza de España at the corner of Calle de Ferraz, the building was built in the early 1910s and is especially recognizable for its highly ornamental façade, curved balconies, wrought-iron details, and large slate-covered dome crowned with the letter “G” for the Gallardo family.

From street level, the corner façade creates a particularly strong symmetrical composition, with the dome naturally becoming the main focal point.

I photographed Casa Gallardo shortly after sunrise, when the low morning light was already illuminating parts of the façade while the streets around Plaza de España were still relatively quiet.

A wide-angle lens works very well from directly across the street, especially when shooting vertically and looking slightly upwards to emphasize the height and ornate architecture. The façade has lots of small details, so it is also worth bringing a telephoto lens for tighter compositions of the balconies, dome, and decorations.

I used a polarizing filter for this shot. It helped retain the rich blue color of the morning sky and increased the contrast between the sky and the bright façade. Rotate the filter carefully with a wide-angle lens, as polarization can become uneven across a large area of blue sky.

Casa Gallardo stands at Calle de Ferraz 2, immediately beside Plaza de España, making it extremely easy to include in a photography walk through central Madrid. The nearest metro station is Plaza de España, served by lines 2, 3, and 10.

For photography, I recommend coming around sunrise or shortly afterward. With the favorable directional light, there is generally less activity on the surrounding streets, making it easier to work from the opposite pavement and experiment with different compositions. From here, you can easily continue toward the Royal Palace, Gran Vía, or the nearby Templo de Debod.