Plaza de Cibeles

The fountain of Cybele was carved in the 1780s to a design by Ventura Rodriguez, showing the goddess in a chariot drawn by lions, and it sits at the junction of four major streets surrounded by monumental buildings: the Bank of Spain, the Buenavista Palace, the Linares Palace and, dominating the square, the Palacio de Cibeles, built between 1907 and 1919 as the central post office in an extravagant white style that earned it the nickname of the cathedral of communications. It has been Madrid's city hall since 2007, with an exhibition centre, a rooftop restaurant and an eighth-floor viewpoint open to the public. The fountain is where Real Madrid supporters gather to celebrate titles.

What you actually see

• The Cybele fountain - the goddess in a lion-drawn chariot, from the 1780s.
• The Palacio de Cibeles - a 1919 post office now serving as city hall.
• The rooftop viewpoint - an eighth-floor terrace over the Paseo del Prado.
• The surrounding palaces - the Bank of Spain and Linares palace on the corners.

When to go

Year-round; the viewpoint keeps set hours and closes on Mondays. Evening light on the white facade is the best. Real Madrid title celebrations fill the square and close the streets around it.

Honest expectations

The fountain sits on a traffic island in the middle of a busy junction and cannot be approached closely. The viewpoint charges and queues at sunset. Noise from traffic is constant.

Nearby

The Prado and Retiro are south; Gran Via and Puerta de Alcala are minutes away.