Madrid Travel Guide: Cerralbo Museum - Museo Cerralbo

In the Cerralbo Museum, laid out in a sumptuous late 19th-century mansion in Argüelles is the incredible private collection of artworks and artefacts assembled by Enrique de Aguilera y Gamboa, the 17th Marqués de Cerralbo. A man of letters, reactionary politician and traveller who fanatically collected pieces everywhere he went, he bequeathed his collection to the state with the stipulation that it should be displayed exactly how he had arranged it himself.

Thus the contents are laid out in the Cerralbo Museum, in a crowded manner, with paintings in three levels up the walls, and few items labelled. Among the many paintings of the Cerralbo Museum, though, there are El Greco's The Ecstasy of St Francis of Assisi - the real highlight - and works by Zurbarán, Alonso Cano and other Spanish masters. The upstairs area of the Cerralbo Museum contains an astonishing collection of European and Japanese armour, weapons, watches, pipes, leather-bound books, clocks and other curiosities.

The Cerralbo Museum mansion itself is of interest; virtually intact, the Cerralbo Museum gives a good idea of how the aristocracy lived in the Restoration period - look out especially for the lavish ballroom of the Cerralbo Museum.

Address

C/Ventura Rodríguez 17, Argüelles

Transport Metro Plaza de España .

Telephone 91 547 36 46/ 91 547 36 47

Open 9.30am-3pm Tue-Sat; 10am-3pm Sun.
Admission €2.40; €1.20 concessions. Free to all Wed & Sun.