Cibeles Square, Madrid

It's one of the most beautiful places in the city. Coming from Puerta de Alcala you see Madrid raising in front of you, passing Plaza de Cibeles you see beautiful Gran Via. On the circle itself there is Fuente de Cibeles - white marble fountain with the goddess Cibeles sitting in the carriage with 2 lions.
On one side of there circle there is my favourite building in Madrid, Palacio de Comunicaciones.

Plaza Cibeles is known for its fountain and the central post office. I was stunned to see so many people standing on one side of the roundabout taking pictures of the post office -and really taking pictures of lots of traffic and buses and so on. Its really a shame since the Correos is a very impressive building and it's worth being a bit more artistic about it....

Ok, Cibeles is not very impressive as a monument, but I will suggest you to start any interesting tour around Madrid there. It's located in the intersection of Gran Via with Paseo de Recoletos, that is, near all the biggest city museums (Prado, Thyssen, Reina Sofia).

In the same square you'll find the much more impressive "Palacio de las Comunicaciones " (Telecommunications Palace), which is not a church, as you may think by its shape, but instead the central offices for the Spanish Postal Service. In fact, when the building was finished in the beginning of the past century, it was given the nickname of "Church of the Telecommunications Virgin". ;-)

Cibiles Square has the wonderful statue from the 18thC in the middle (its partner - Neptune - is near the Prado). But the background has the most beautiful post office building. Built in the early 20thC it is sometimes called 'Our Lady of the Communications'. To me it has some of the Moorish elements that Spain is strong in.

As you are in Cibeles Sqaure looking towards Puerta del Sol, the big building at your left with the golden sphere on its roof houses the main offices of the Banco de Espana (Bank of Spain).
You can visit it inside, here is where the money lives :-))
But you can admire its wonderful facade. In the main gate at the Alcala Street (neatr the entrance of the subway pass) you can see one of the few remaining republican badges in Madrid), at the top of the building. You will recognize it by the little castle on top of it. It was put there during the Civil War and never removed...

The Plaza de Cibeles is a very busy roundabout with a fountain in the middle. At the south eastern side is the Palacio de Comunicaciones (1905-1917). This impressive building houses the General Post Office of Madrid.

All night buses go from here. They are called "buhos." If you know where you are trying to go, then definitely take one cuz they are way cheaper than taxis (or free if you have an abono!)

In the middle of the square - watch the traffic - is the fountain of the Roman goddess Cybele. She seems to be transported in a farm cart of the 18th C!

This beautiful building located in the Cibeles Square houses the central Post Office of Spain. If you desperately need some stamps on sunday, this is the place to go.