GRAN VIA, Second Part
- Audio File length: 1.57
- Author: STEFANO ZUFFI E DAVIDE TORTORELLA
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Language: English / USA
Go in front of the "Gran Vía" metro station, to a point known as "Red de San Luis" because of the fact that it was once where several of the capital's streets intersected. This is where the second part of the "Great Way" starts, which was completed in 1922, goes all the way up to Plaza del Callao, and is considered the so-called "boulevard", named Avenida de Pi y Maragall in honor of the first president of the Republic.
You'll immediately notice the building at number 28: it is the Telefónica Building, which was designed in the late twenties by an American architect, and in fact looks like a New York skyscraper. Just think that when it was built, its 81 meters made it the tallest building in Spain; but only a few years later during the civil war, it also became the preferred target of nationalist troops advancing toward the capital....