You are the first I dare to tell a secret to: I prefer Madrid to Barcelona! Therefore, I gave relatively very high rating to this Prado/Buen Retiro "double" site.

I visited Madrid two times for a weekend trip (in 2004 and 2011), and I take Madrid, together with Berlin, as an epitome of modern European capital. Well, the historical core with Plaza Mayor is quite nice but nothing special. However, Madrid I like starts at Puerta del Sol: then follow Calle de Alcala or (via a short detour) Gran Via, both flanked by monumental buildings, and you enter the core zone of this WHS, which has been already described by others, and I guess that almost everybody has heard already about Prado museum. Somebody can have an objection that only some museums with a boring park have been inscribed. I would oppose that I appreciated the qualities of this site even without an urge to enter any building. From the museums, I visited only Reina Sofia during my first visit, and it, of course, does not contribute to the OUV. I would oppose even the suggestion of ICOMOS to cut this site into two pieces: the avenue and the park. It does not make a sense to me, and I like the site as it has been inscribed.

All in all, this is not an absolute world-class, but it has its place on the list and I can understand its OUV.

(PHOTO - Atocha railway station)