Villa Rosa Facade

The 1920’s brought colour to Madrid streets. It was the golden age of handmade ceramic, when taverns, shops, colmaos and any kind of stores decorated their fronts with big murals made of  policromatic ceramic. They advertised the activity, or brands or just ornamented the facades so pedestrians could enjoy their view.

Just a few steps from Hostal Persal, in Plaza de Santa Ana, it remains the main gem of that age: Villa Rosa facade. It was 1928. Sevillian painter and ceramist Alfonso Romero, already living at Madrid for years, established his studio at Habsburgs’ neighborhood, and from it beautiful murals for interiors and facades came out.

Villa Rosa panels, framed in friezes of grotesques, bring to Madrid the light of the south of Spain, the Plaza de España at Seville, Cibeles fountain and Retiro Park transformed into an andalusian garden.

Alfonso Romero made also decorations for Plaza de Toros de las Ventas (Las Ventas bullfight ring), Madrid Metro and plenty of taverns and shops.

Villa Rosa is an heroic survivor of 1950’s disaster, when publicity laws obliged so many merchants to eliminate ceramics from facades.

 But it is not the only one. We invite you to discover monumental ceramic murals, ancient and new, spread nearby Hostal Persal. Walls prom dressed to make your stay…a real artwork.

We appreciate Pedro Hernández Girón’s cooperation to write this post. He is a great expert and guide of Madrid city.

Categories: general