For almost 50 years, no one has been able to cross it—its ends have been closed since the 1980s— but after undergoing a renovation process, this architectural gem is partially reopening: the historic section of the Villanueva Tunnel is once again passable, which means, in part, that the people of Madrid will be able to walk the steps that José Bonaparte was unable to walk in his day.
Let us explain: the construction of this vaulted passageway was commissioned by Bonaparte to Juan de Villanueva, who designed it in 1809, and its purpose was none other than to serve as a private exit from the Campo del Moro to the Casa de Campo.
However, the monarch, popularly—and disparagingly—known as Pepe Botella (due to his alleged fondness for drink), never got to use it: by the time it was due to be completed in 1813, the man who had been king of Spain since 1808 after the War of Independence had already left the city and the country to return to France.
More than 200 years later, and after the restoration, conservation, and adaptation process carried out by National Heritage, the people of Madrid can visit this unique civil construction, from which “the original proportions of the tunnel and the original brick and stonework elements” have been recovered, according to the institution.
What did the restoration of the Villanueva Tunnel involve?
A budget of more than €400,000, financed by European Next Generation EU funds, has been allocated to carry out this work, which has been distributed for investment in various areas.
One of the most important areas has been the restoration of the original proportions designed by Juan de Villanueva, which has been achieved by lowering the existing level, something “that the public will be able to appreciate thanks to the new walkway, which will allow visitors to see the original floor level,” according to National Heritage.
The work also included upgrading the electrical installations, carrying out sanitation and fire protection work, and restoring both the entrance to the tunnel facing the Campo del Moro gardens and its interior, where “the original scars of the construction can be seen.”
Image courtesy of: Américo Toledano / Wikimedia Commons
Following the intervention, explanatory signage has been added at the beginning of the route and the lighting has been modified to adapt to the conditions at different times of day, highlighting the route. After all this, visitors will be able to appreciate the design of the tunnel as originally planned by Juan de Villanueva.
The section managed by Madrid City Council
To be able to walk the entire length, it will be necessary to wait until the works on the part of the underpass managed by Madrid City Council are completed. When that happens, Madrid will have the urban system that Villanueva originally conceived: a tunnel that integrates the green area next to the river and the Puente del Rey bridge, as the final link to connect with the Casa de Campo.
Visiting hours for the Villanueva Tunnel
Image courtesy of: Benjamín Núñez González / Wikimedia Commons
The hours are the same as those of the gardens, which are open every day of the year except December 25 and January 1. They vary depending on the access points:
Cuesta de San Vicente
- April to September: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- October to March: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Cuesta de la Vega
- All year round: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Virgen del Puerto Promenade
- October to March: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- April and September: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- May, June, July, and August: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.