Madrid - San Ginés

San Ginés is one of the oldest parishes in Madrid. It lies within the medieval core of the city, which underwent much change before being given its present aspect in the 19th C., during the reign of Isabella II. The church, rebuilt in 1872 after a fire, stands within easy reach of the Teatro Real, the Plaza de Oriente, the Royal Palace, the Calle Mayor and the Plaza Mayor, its tower dominating the surrounding streets (Calles Bordadores, Coloreros, San Martín), which have the intimate urban atmosphere of Benito Pérez Galdós's novels.

Adjoining the church is the Teatro Eslava (1870), a charming theater which has recently become one of the most modern discothèques in the city. The Pasadizo de San Ginés, the passage between the theater and the church, is one of the most attractive little nooks in this picturesque old quarter.