Madrid turned on the lights last Thursday, November 23, which marks the start of Christmas in the capital. Mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida carried out the lighting with the presenter Angie Rigueiro and the announcer Dani Moreno, as well as the cast of Campeonex actors.
The first weekend was a success, since you couldn't even walk through the center. To get to Puerta del Sol, some streets were set up going down and others going up as they were packed with people throughout the weekend. The same thing happened to enter the market in the Plaza Mayor. Citizens of Madrid and abroad did not want to miss this year's news.
To illuminate the capital, 12 million LED bulbs, 6,600 chains, 115 light cherry trees and twelve large luminous fir trees, among other elements, have been placed.
The lighting, which can be enjoyed until next January 7, has been placed in 230 locations in the 21 districts of the city. As a novelty, Gran Vía has become a large winter garden thanks to the design of Sergio Sebastián. On Calle Mayor, designed by Teresa Sapey, the bells are the protagonists; while Calle del Carmen debuts some large flowers by Ben Busche. A large wreath measuring 18 meters in diameter has been installed in the Plaza del Cardenal Cisneros and a 9 meter high poinsettia has been placed at the intersection between Alcalá and Gran Vía.
A luminous stained glass window has been placed in the Puerta de Sol that surrounds the fir tree and represents different moments of the Annunciation and the Birth of Jesus.
Many of the chains and trees bear the seal of fashion designers, as years ago. In this edition, Roberto Verino has joined, who has been in charge of designing the luminous fir tree in the Plaza Mayor; García Madrid, from the San Luis and Marta Rota network, who created the motifs on Goya Street.
This year the traditional ball has been moved and placed in the Plaza de España next to the Sabatini gardens.
Among the doors decorated with Christmas motifs, those of Alcalá, Toledo or San Vicente also stand out. In addition, the Juan Bravo, Raimundo Fernández Villaverde and Plaza de Castilla bridges have been illuminated with the colors of the Spanish flag.
