Studying in Spain – Journal 8: Museo Sorolla
Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida (1863 – 1923) was a Spanish painter born in Valencia, Spain. Sorolla was known for his paintings of historical and social themes, portraits and landscape art. He was also a very productive painter, leaving more than 2000 art works after he died.
Most of Sorolla’s work are now displayed in Sorolla Museum, or Museo Sorolla in Spanish. The building of Sorolla museum was originally the painter’s house. After the death of his widow, Clotilde García, the building was converted into a museum, which opened in the year 1932.
Sorolla museum is in the Chamberí zone of Madrid. The closest metro stations to the Sorolla museum are Iglesia, Gregorio Marañón and Rubén Darío. Iglesia is on metro line 1, Gregorio Marañón is on metro line 7 and 10, and Rubén Darío is on metro line 5.
Sorolla museum is open from 09:30 to 20:00 on Tuesday to Saturday, and from 10:00 to 15:00 on Sunday and public holidays. The museum also offers free access to all from 14:30 to 20:00 on Saturday, and from 10:00 to 15:00 on Sunday. A ticket for an adult cost 3€, and Sorolla museum offers free entry to students under 25 years old with a student ID.
Sorolla museum, The Good Burger and Temple of Debod
The Sorolla Museum is a nice museum to spend an afternoon in. Possibly because it was originally the painter’s home, unlike traditional museums, Sorolla museum feels more relaxing and pleasant. The amount of paintings in the museum is extraordinary, it is hard to believe that a single person could complete this amount of art works. It is also a relatively cheap museum to visit in Madrid, and the time for free entry is also long.
After an afternoon in Sorolla museum, walking to the nearest The Good Burger(TGB) would take less than 20 minutes. The Good Burger is one of the most popular burger chain in Spain, you could find them in most of the big cities in Spain. The chain offers a wide variety of flavors and additional toppings are also available. They also have a veggie burger option for vegetarians as well.
The best time to visit The Good Burger would be on Thursdays and Sundays, because that is when they offer a discount on burgers. Choose two burgers and the cheaper one would be free! I would personally suggest to take out two burgers and a drink to our next stop – Templo de Debod.
Temple of Debod, or Templo de Debod en Spanish, is an ancient Egyptian temple in Madrid. The temple dates back to the second century BC, and the structure was brought from Egypt to Spain in the 1970’s. The inside of the monument is currently closed to tourists, but walking around the park is still quite recommendable.
The Temple of Debod is one of my favorite places to watch the sunset in Madrid. The view over the park is spectacular, you can see most of Madrid over the railings. The effect of the fading sunlight on the water around the temple is amazing to see and it is also one of the most popular places in Madrid for couples to go.
