What is Gran Vía?
[[Image:EdMetropolisMadrid.JPG|thumb|The Edificio Metropolis on the Gran Via de Madrid.]] [[Image:A Black and White Photo of the the Gran Vía in Madrid Spain.jpeg|thumb|Gran Via, Madrid]] The '''Gran Vía''' (The Great Way) is one of the most important shopping areas in [[Madrid]], [[Spain]]. It also has [[hotel]]s and large [[movie theater]]s. Many of the [[building]]s on the Gran Vía are decorated with fancy [[sculpture]]s. One of the more impressive buildings on the Gran Vía is the Edificio Metropolis. It was built in 1907 by [[Jules Février|Jules]] and [[Raymond Février]]. It has a [[statue]] of the [[wing]]ed [[Roman mythology|Roman]] [[deity|goddess]], [[Victoria (goddess)|Victoria]], on the top. Madrid's first [[skyscraper]], [[Telefonica]]'s Head Office, is also on the Gran Vía. The Gran Vía was planned in the [[1850s]]. They did not start building the road until 1904 and finished it in 1929. People laughed at the plan because it took so long to get started. As a joke, they called it the 'gran vía' or 'great road'. == Other websites == *[http://www.aviewoncities.com/madrid/granvia.htm A View On Cities - Gran Via, Madrid] {{commons|Gran Vía de Madrid}} {{Attached KML}} {{Europe-stub}} [[Category:Buildings and structures in Madrid]]