ABC Museum, Mahou Brewery, Chimneys and other things

Impacting contrast. From the latest to the oldest.

 

The ABC museum café generates confronted feelings.

Its architectural design with pop art reminiscences from the sixties similar to the space station from the movie "2001: A Space Odyssey", highly contrasts with the old building Comendadoras Convent of Santiago", place where f.e. Velazquez, Quevedo where ordain "Santiago Orden" knights.

View from Museum Coffee shop, windows from the convent

 The cofee shop is a white walkway hanging from the Museum entrance courtyard

The museum is located in the building of the former brewery Mahou (1890). The entrance courtyard and inside the building was refurbished.

Outside, remains much of its original industrial aesthetic appearence.

Other part fron the building has been refurbished as apartments.

Entrance to the apartments .

 

This peculiar mixture of art museum, high tech cafe, nineteenth century brewery and medieval convent generates a unique space.

As a unknown and forgotten sculpture, the neighbourhood is decorated by the old chimney.

Houses and Chimney. On the righ we can see the convent

Church Convent Towers. At the back Montserrat Church Tower

The area is surrounded by tipical taverns. One of them is close to the old factory and is called "The Cangrejero". This tavern has the reputation for many years of having the longest beer coil from Madrid (180 meters and therefore, fresher beer). Also and as a myth maybe (or not) it was said that in the tavern was served the best Mahou beer from Madrid because of  having a pipe directly from the brewery.. The tavern founded in 1932 (unfortunately quite refurbished ) was frequented by José Ortega y Gasset as it is nearby the university .

The "Cangrejero"

All the surroundings are worth it to visit.

For more information:
-Museo ABC. Calle Amaniel nº 21.
http://museo.abc.es/
-Tabernas y tapas en Madrid. Carlos Osorio. Ediciones La Libreria
-Guia de Arquitectura de Madrid. Tomo I. Coam.

La Venencia

Unique in the world, “La Venencia” is a place where time seems to be stopped, but this is not the only thing that makes this place so special

This tavern from 1920 has a long series of singularities.
The atmosphere of past times, the premises remain unchanged for many years. Is the only place in the world were only sherry it is served (Fino, Manzanilla, Oloroso, Amontillado and Palo Cortado). No soft drinks, beer or wine or other liquor can be taken in “La Venencia”.
The collection of posters from the missing Sherry Fair is so unique that the Office of Tourism Jerez requested for an exhibition (what was refused by “La Venencia” in order  to avoid injury).
The wine is brought by them from Sanlucar de Barrameda and served direcly from their aged barrels.
The premises, a former Goat milk store, remains intact, including the dust from the bottles, between which we can see a venencia (pot to pour the wine out of the barrel).
The current owners, several brothers who take turns behind the counter, have as an unbreakable principle not to alter neither the local nor the environment of the place, that has been transferred to them as it is by its previous owner.

What has changed from previous owner is that today it is a very popular place with a diverse clientele: neighborhood residents, foreigners bohemians, fine wine lovers, intellectuals, tourists, bullfighting critics, hippies ...
Everything there takes you back to other times. The low light, the barrels, the cash register, the old phone, the fireplace...
A cat wanders freely through the legs of the customers and finds the best place in the local.


La Venencia: Echegaray Street nº 17

For more information:

-Tabernas y tapas en Madrid. Carlos Osorio. Ediciones la Libreria.

 

Picture and Text: Álvaro Rey
 

Vinos y Cervezas Hernani 20 "El sordo"-Wine & Beer 20 Hernani ("The Deaf")

In 20 Hernani Street within the traditional neighborhood of Cuatro Caminos we can find a typical tavern popularly known as "The Deaf" or Vinos Paco..

In the entrance just can be seen "Wine & beer" and the number "20" of the street. It is known by neighbors as "The Deaf" because of father of the actual bartender who is carrying on with the business.Typical Tavern that remains as it was losts of years ago.
 

Visiting that tavern is an incredible experience from "Old Madrid" and the environment and people from Cuatro Caminos in that time.
The jars, the taps, the color of the walls and ceilings, tiles, and even toilets remain with no change.

The building in which it is located is interesting in itself in Hernani Street corner to Isturiz being a typical building of the neighborhood from past times. It is one of the first houses builded in Cuatro Caminos, with brick exterior and interior structure of stairs, hallway or patio, with interesting cornices and baseboards.
The building was constructed between 1880 and 1900.

This cultural area, even today, is plenty of locals and typically traditional buildings (less and less every day) that are worth to be known and preserved.

For more information about the architecture of the area:
"Architecture of Madrid". Volume 2. "Ensanches". 'COAM Foundation (school Arquitectos de Madrid). 2003.
The data sheet is available on the College website:　 http://212.145.146.10/biblioteca/fondos/ingra/index.htm

 Pictures & Text: Álvaro Rey

BODEGA IBIZA

At number 12 of Ibiza street survives one of the few traditional wineries (Bodega) that nowadays are preserved.

In this type of wineries (Bodegas), very popular until the 80s of XX century, were sold wine directly from barrels (called "litreo") as well as diferent sort of liquors and wines (specially from La Mancha Region). Also home deliveries were made.

 

In all the tipical districts of Madrid (barrios castizos) used to be one or two of this "Bodegas", their owners or dependents were usually from regions near Madrid. Some of them were small companies with a few branches f.e. La Ardosa, La Cubas, El Maño ...

Bodega Ibiza preserves its local plenty of this tradition, is a friendly environment and highly customer oriented service. As you can see in the photo above, still keeps the jars, the sink with the little fountain for wash the bottles and barrels that after were filled in with wine..

We recommend pop in in this place, buy a drink, and speak with his friendly owner. It seems that his sons are willing to continue the tradition, so we can luckily continue enjoying this old "bodega" (winery)

Photos and text:Álvaro Rey