Gran vía is one of the Central streets of Madrid, unofficially recognized as the main street of the capital. The name of the street, reaching a length of 1315 meters and 35 meters wide, translates from Spanish as "the great road" or "highway". Start of construction of the Gran vía was laid April 5, 1910. For the realization of the project of the street was demolished about three hundred buildings destroyed 14 street and 54 street were cut off. To commemorate the beginning of construction of the first stone in the wall of one of the buildings was officially carved by king Alfonso XIII. Recently, the Gran vía celebrated its centenary, on the eve of this event, was erected here her gorgeous bronze layout.

Initially, the Gran vía was divided into 3 separate streets, each of which was built in different period of time and had its own name – by name located at the time in power of politicians. During the Spanish civil war, the street was changed to Avenida de Rusia (Russia), and then in Avenida de la Unión Soviética (street of the Soviet Union) as a sign of gratitude for the support by the Soviet government of the Spanish Republic. When Franco street was renamed Avenida de José Antonio (Jose Antonio), and its present name began only in 1981.

The buildings on the Gran vía and built in the early 20th century, dominated by architectural styles such as modernism, plateresque, neo-Mudejar, neo-Renaissance, art Deco. Today many of these buildings were rebuilt in shopping malls, cinemas and hotels. The biggest and one of the most interesting buildings on Gran vía is "Telefonica". In this building height of 81 meters, considered Europe's first skyscraper, for a long time housed the office of the Spanish National telephone company.