| Destination: Madrid | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| What To See Madrid Madrid + Madrid Sights * Basilica de San Francisco El Grande * Basilica de San Miguel * Botín * Calle de Serrano * Casa de América * Casa Museo de Lope de Vega * Casa de la Villa * Casón del Buen Retiro * Catedral de La Almundena * Catedral de San Isidro * Centro Cultural Conde Duque * Convento de las Carboneras * Ermita de San Antonio de la Florida * Estadio Santiago Bernabéu (Bernabéu Stadium) * Iglesia de las Calatravas * Iglesia de Las Salesas * Iglesia de San Andrés Apóstol * Iglesia y Convento de las Trinitarias * Mercado de San Miguel * Monasterio de la Encarnación * Museo Arqueológico Nacional * Museo Nacional de Antropología * Museo Nacional de Artes Decorativas * Museo De La Real Academia De Bellas Artes De San Fernando * Museo Cerralbo * Museo Chicote * Museo del Ejército * Museo Naval * Museo Romántico * Museo Del Traje * Palacio de Comunicaciones * Palacio de las Cortes * The Paseos * Plaza de la Cibeles * Plaza de Toros de las Ventas * Puerta del Sol * Puerta de Toledo * El Rastro (Rastro Flea Market) * Real Fábrica de Tapices * Real Jardín Botánico * Teleférico * Telefónica Excursions + Excursions Walk/Drive Food&Drink In The Know Did You Know? |
Real Fábrica de Tapices
( Highly Recommended ) Not a museum, this factory hums with the sounds of men and women making and repairing carpets and tapestries. The methods have changed little, if at all, over the centuries since the van der Goten family were brought here from Flanders in the 18th century by Felipe V. The 200-year-old looms are still anchored by massive tree trunks to keep the tapestry taut, and woollen threads are still spun by hand, carefully mixed with silk to create some 3,000 subtly different shades. Many of the tapestries are still based on cartoons by the famous Spanish painters of the day, including Goya. The time and effort required to complete a tapestry is astonishing: one square metre takes five months and costs over €9,000. Visitors tend to 'ooh' and 'aah' as they stare at workers who are using medieval skills in a medieval setting. Url: www.realfatapices.com Address: Calle de Fuenterrabía 2 Phone: 91 434 05 50 Hours: Mon-Fri 10-2. Closed Aug Restaurant: Plenty near by (Inexpensive) Metro: Atocha RENFE, Menedez Pelayo Accessible: None Admission: Cheap Other: Museo Nacional de Antropología Practical: All visits in small guided groups |
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