The Casa de la Villa is one of the best known buildings in the Plaza de la Villa because of its antiquity and for having been the headquarters of the Madrid City Council until 2007. Now this particular building of Herrerian style and baroque touches reopens the doors of its Oratory, which has one of the most unique frescoes in the city.
The building has undergone transformations and extensions since 1629 when Philip IV chose it as the place to host the Council meetings. But its great artistic jewel has always been hidden inside. It is the pictorial program made by Antonio de Palomino in the Oratory created under the old Clock Tower, where in addition to officiate religious ceremonies, was intended as the space in which to guard the relics of Santa Maria de la Cabeza, wife of San Isidro, patron saint of the town.
The Oratory of the Casa de la Villa recovers its splendor.
The restoration has recovered the original magnitude of the frescoes that decorate almost the entire space. The paintings focus on the image of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, interspersed with allusions to the Monarchy and the Villa de Madrid, through passages from the life of Santa María de la Cabeza and San Isidro Labrador.
To celebrate the recovery of this space, the City Council has scheduled 162 free visits until July 6, but tickets were sold out within hours of opening and for now there are no new dates planned.
Big week of the San Isidros Festivities
From May 12 to 15, Madrid celebrates the big days of San Isidro with an agenda full of free concerts, family activities, traditional festivities and shows for all audiences.
In the Pradera de San Isidro there will be live music every afternoon and a children’s program with storytelling, theater, magic and traditional games between 12:00 and 18:00. On May 15, the traditional pilgrimage and campaign mass (13:00 h), Correvedidile family theater (12:00 h), storytelling (17:00 h) and children’s concert (18:30 h). That same day, the city will be filled with music with concerts in the Plaza Mayor (Los Brincos and Orquesta Mondragón), the Pradera (Modestia Aparte and Los Manolos), Las Vistillas (Olga María Ramos and Mari Pepa de Chamberí) and Matadero Madrid (Verbena with Orquesta Maremagnum).
The grand closing will come with the solemn procession of San Isidro at 7:00 pm and the expected fireworks display at 11:59 pm, visible from the Pradera and Puerta de Toledo. Check here the complete program and all the schedules.