La Fontana de Oro

The La Fontana de Oro café, located in Calle Victoria, just a few steps away from Puerta del Sol, was founded in 1782 as a travellers’ inn and has been the meeting place for many famous people and politicians, - it even had a starring role in a novel by Galdós. Over the years it has changed its name and its purpose. After having been closed down for years, it reopened in 1994 with its original name and recovering the aesthetics described by Galdós in his novel. The new owners decided to include portraits of its more illustrious clients, including, of course, the famous writer. They completed the refurbishment work by adding iron columns and frescoes on the ceiling, painted by Russian artists from the School of Fine Arts. It is currently an Irish Pub with live music and a sports bar.