Madrid

Lope de Vega House Museum in Madrid, this is the visit (schedules)

Facade of the Lope de Vega House Museum in Madrid
Facade of the Lope de Vega House Museum in Madrid

There are few examples of a medieval house that you can find during your trip to Madrid.

However, during your walk through the so-called Neighborhood of the letters, in the surroundings of the Plaza de Santa Ana, you have the opportunity to visit the House Museum of Lope de Vega.

Indeed, in the 11 Cervantes Street is one of the few examples of house from medieval times in Madrid, the one he once bought and lived in Lope de Vega, now converted into a house museum.

Who was Lope de Vega, curiosities about his biography

Butwho was Lope de Vega?

Named the Phoenix of Wits for his contemporary Miguel de Cervantes, Lope de Vega was born in Madrid in 1562, coinciding with the designation of the city as capital of the Kingdom by Felipe II, and was one of the most important authors of the so-called Spanish Golden Age.

Lope de Vega I study in the Jesus company and in the University of Alcala de Henares, and he was a prolific author of the time, writing poems, some novels and, above all, countless plays.

In addition to being highly valued by Cervantes, was a friend of Quevedo and was at enmity with Gongora.

Facade of the Lope de Vega House Museum in Madrid
Facade of the Lope de Vega House Museum in Madrid

After living in several cities, Lope de Vega He returned to Madrid in 1610, and at the age of 48 he bought the house in which he lived until his death in August 1635.

Lope de Vega He paid 9.000 reais for this three-story house, an amount currently equivalent to 14 euros. It was about one medieval house of affluent level.

In the house he lived with several daughters and sons, the result of his turbulent love life, as he had two wives and several lovers.

Furthermore, his last wife died in 1618, after which Lope de Vega He converted to the priesthood.

But it was also a guesthouse, complying with the standard of the Room Royalties, imposed at the time by Felipe II.

Garden of the Lope de Vega House Museum in Madrid
Garden of the Lope de Vega House Museum in Madrid

History of the Lope de Vega House Museum

It was in 1929 when the Lope de Vega House Museum project, after several centuries in which the house was the home of various families.

The owner at that time, Antonia Garcia, widow of Cabrejo, proposed the creation of a foundation to convert the house into a museum, a proposal that was supported by the Spanish Academy, who undertook the restoration.

Finally, in 1935 the house was declared Historic Artistic Monument and it was opened to the public as a museum, to subsequently undergo various restorations, the last completed in 1992.

Since December 2007 the House Museum of Lope de Vega is managed by the Region of Madrid, and is one of the main tourist attractions in the Neighborhood of the letters.
Garden of the Lope de Vega House Museum in Madrid
Garden of the Lope de Vega House Museum in Madrid

This is the experience of visiting the Lope de Vega House Museum

For visit the Lope de Vega House Museum, can only be done in previously established groups, and with a maximum limit of 15 people.

La guided tour of the Lope de Vega House Museum will allow you not only to get closer to the illustrious character of the Spanish Golden Age, but also to know the lifestyle in the houses of Madrid during the 17th century.

The first thing that will surprise you when you go to visit is that in the historic center of Madrid you can find an interior garden with its characteristics.

The house maintains some of its rooms with the original layout, and others have been remodeled later in order to recreate the atmosphere of its time.

La tour It begins by going up to the first floor, where you can see the so-called Chapel of San Isidro, which was used by Lope de Vega to pray every day.

You have to remember that Lope de Vega, during the time he lived in this house, had converted to the priesthood, and that Mark, one of his daughters, was one of the nuns who lived in the nearby Convent of the Trinitarians.

Garden of the Lope de Vega House Museum in Madrid
Garden of the Lope de Vega House Museum in Madrid

The next room you are going to see is the Studio, the largest in the house, which has two rooms, the study table by Lope de Vega, and a small room with a library.

The latter shows incunabula books from the time donated by the Language Academy and for the National Library.

The next room is the Floor, next to the study, which was used for meetings by the women of the house; It is decorated with a dais with cushions and a mirror that gives it more space.

The rest of the rooms in the Lope de Vega House Museum in Madrid are recreated.

Garden of the Lope de Vega House Museum in Madrid
Garden of the Lope de Vega House Museum in Madrid

Thus, you can see the room of the daughters of Lope de Vega and Dining room, which has been decorated with Talavera ceramics based on documentation of the time.

La Cooking It is also on the first floor, although it was originally located on the ground floor, and is decorated with a fireplace, a cupboard and jars.

On the second floor you can visit a recreation of the servants' room, more austere, with a bed without a canopy, without a mirror and without a chest of drawers.

You will also see the guest room, in compliance with the aforementioned Royalties of Rooms, where he was housed for nine months. Captain Alonso de Contreras.

If you prefer, to visit the historic center from the capital, you can sign up for a Free Tour of Madrid lasting two hours, in which you visit some of the most emblematic points of the Medieval Madrid and the Madrid of the Austrias, and here are others alternatives for Free Tours in Madrid

And finally, you will see the room of the male children of Lope de Vega and that of his last companion, Marta de Nevares, with whom he had three children.

In short, a very interesting visit that will allow you recreate the atmosphere of medieval Madrid.

Hours of the Lope de Vega House Museum

El Visiting hours of the Lope de Vega House Museum It is from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 18 p.m., with last access at 17 p.m.

La Admission is free and as I have mentioned, it can only be done by signing up for the guided tours Group.

Visits start every half hour, lasting about 35 minutes.

Therefore, it is essential to book in advance the time of your visit, which you can do by calling 91 429 92 16 or by email casamuseolopedevega@madrid.org.

About the Author

José Luis Sarralde

Journalist and traveler throughout his life, José Luis Sarralde is the founder of Guías Viajar, where since 2008 he has been capturing his travel experiences around the world, specializing in cultural and scenic destinations in Spain and Europe.

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