Palacio Longoria – finally, after three years…
The first time I saw it I was strolling around Chueca, a neighbourhood splat in the center of Madrid, when suddenly I looked up and there it was.
I guess it was a Sunday, because it was closed and I don’t remember trying to get in – just taking photos and being in awe.
Then, I passed by again. It’s a great little street, right behind my favourite metro station and in front of a cactus shop. This time, it was open, so I walked in and asked if I could look around.
As I was being unceremoniously but still politely kicked out, the guard told me that, once a year, the house would open to “commoners” and I could visit it.
Maybe a year later I’m back. I had completely forgot about the “once a year” deal and asked the guard – was it the same man? Who knows – when exactly it would be open. A week ago, he replied. I grumbled and left.
This year, three years later, I finally managed not only to casually fall upon a leaflet that publicised “Open House Madrid“, the architectural event that lets people in interesting buildings all around Madrid, but also to be free on the morning in which Palacio Longoria was to open.
The house was scheduled to open at 11:00 and, as usual, I got there way too early. At 10 to 10. To my surprise, there was a queue already. About five people. I stood behind them and chatted, and was suddenly told that those five people were actually the queue-holders for groups of other people that would have joined them…….. which would have been irrelevant if the house had not accepted only 20 people per tour. Yikes!
In the end, I was in the third group and managed to get in at 12:00. And boy was it worth it! Although this is my first post on Palacio Longoria, if you check this section out I’ll be adding more throughout next week. And the photos came out quite well I must say! Enjoy 🙂
Together with Nicole Duplaix, Chair of the IUCN-SSC Otter Specialist Group , I wrote a book all about otters and how wonderful they are. Check it out We Love Otters
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