Hi all, jer here. Ok, I know it is in most of the guide books but every time I go there (and either stay at the foot outside or go up to the top to see all of Madrid), I am just about the only one there (aside from maybe a few local students studying or reading a book). I am, of course, speaking of the "Faro de Madrid"in Moncloa, also know by the ex-pat community here as the "Monclao Space Needle" . I have always had the feeling that although people are aware of it's presence, it is a bit off the beaten path and it is a shame because it is a great place to go at sunset. The views from the top are IMPRESSIVE! I would like to know if others have actually gone up and their opinions on the experience. Stay , jer...
We made a stop there last month...I had seen it many times driving out of Madrid (it's pretty visible form the freeway) but had never made it up there. Too bad it's on the west side of the city though....it would be alot more impressive on the other side .
Jared
Posts: 36 | Location: Boise, ID | Registered: 25 May 2001
Everytime I visit Madrid I have to go up El Faro de Moncloa. Built in 1992, it's 92 meters high and really does give an excellent view of Madrid's western edge and river valley to Rio Manzanares. You can clearly see the Royal Palace and the church of La Almudena as well as Casa de Campo park and the neighborhood along the Paseo de Extremadura on the other side of the river.
Keep in mind El Faro is closed on Mondays and is amazingly cheap (about $1 USDollars). Read a little explanation about it HERE on the TimeOut: Madrid website.
El Faro is really odd looking at night though - like a hovering space craft with lights surrounding the disc's edges.
Great Scott MadridMan, thought I was the only one who actually knew how high it was, jejeje . Last time I was up to the top I got trigger happy with the camera (as usual when shooting things in Madrid) and actually took a photo of the SPECS SHEET which contains loads of semi interesting yet semi useless info on the tower and observation deck that compose the "FARO DE MADRID". I really should limit my photo taking but it is a sickness I guess! jer...
I can give you a likely explanation for being alone at the "Faro": many Madrilenians, like me, were against the "Faro" before it was built, and we promised ourselves not to visit it in our whole lives. Maybe we are just two or three crazy people, but I know that none of us are talking about it to our friends from outside Madrid. Beside that, it is difficult to find any information about it in any tourist guide (I'm glad about that, though).
Posts: 399 | Location: Madrid | Registered: 05 July 2001
Thanks for the input Max, I realy learn something new every day. I did not know that many Madrile�os were against it's construction. However, if you look in the official guide to Madrid put out by the Patronato Municipal de Turismo called "en madrid", the Faro appears in every edition and even shows a photo some months so it would seem that the city is pretty proud of it after all. You are right however, it does not appear in many other guides published outside of Spain. Saludos, jer...
p.d. personally I enjoy the Faro and do not think it hurts the "look" of the city, on the contrary it is a rather interesting structure architecturally speaking. Just my opinion
. I have always had the feeling that although people are aware of it's presence, it is a bit off the beaten path and it is a shame because it is a great place to go at sunset. The 
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