Gran Via - one of the main streets of Madrid, the unofficially recognized as the main street of the capital. Street name, reaches a length of 1315 meters and 35 meters in width, is translated from Spanish as "great way" or "a great way." Start of construction of the Gran Vía was laid on April 5, 1910. For the realization of the project of the street was demolished about three hundred houses, destroyed 14 streets and 54 streets were cut off. To mark the start of construction of the first stone in the wall of a building was solemnly gouged King Alfonso XIII. Recently Gran Via celebrated its centenary, on the eve of this event here has been established its magnificent bronze layout.

Initially, Gran Via has been divided into 3 separate streets, each of which was built in a different period of time and had its name - by the name of being in power at the time of politicians. During the Spanish Civil War, the street was renamed first in the Avenida de Rusia (Russia Street), and then in the Avenida de la Unión Soviética (street of the Soviet Union) in gratitude for the support of the Soviet government of the Spanish Republic. When Franco street was renamed Avenida de José Antonio (Jose Antonio Street), and its present name she received only in 1981.

The buildings on the Gran Via, and built in the early 20th century, the predominant architectural styles such as modernism, Plateresque, Neo-mudahar, neo-renaissance, art deco. Today, many of these buildings rebuilt in shopping malls, cinemas and hotels. The biggest and one of the most interesting buildings on the Gran Via is the "Telefonica". The building height of 81 meters, is considered the first skyscraper in Europe, for a long time housed the office of the Spanish national telephone company.