Fifteen meters below the gardens of El Capricho lies one of the most unusual sites in Madrid’s recent history: a Civil War barracks designed to direct military operations from underground. The General Staff Bunker, an underground structure covering some 2,000 square meters, will reopen to the public with free guided tours from November 14 through December 27.
Reservations open on Wednesday, November 4, on the Pasea Madrid website: at 10:00 a.m. for those 65 and older and at 12:00 p.m. for the general public. The activity is part of the second season of the municipal program, which features 15 heritage tours throughout the city.
A barracks located beneath one of Madrid’s most unique parks
During the Civil War, the El Capricho Gardens served as the headquarters of the Army of the Center of the Second Republic. Its location—which was then far from the front lines—along with its communication links and dense woodland, made the park an ideal site for establishing military command.
The shelter was built between May and August 1937. Beneath the ground, it features five work areas, a decontamination zone, showers, an infirmary, an engine room, and a storage area. The tour offers access to one of the least accessible areas of El Capricho, the romantic park created by the Duchess of Osuna in the late 18th century.
How to Visit the El Capricho Bunker
Tours will take place on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, with time slots between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. according to the schedule. They last one hour, and each group will have a maximum of 20 people. The meeting point will be at the turnstiles leading to the Jardín de El Capricho, at Paseo de la Alameda de Osuna, 25.
The bunker shares the season with tours of the Beti Jai fronton, the Casa de la Villa, the monument to Alfonso XII, and the Torre Arias, Los Molinos, and Fuente del Berro military training grounds, among other sites.