Juan de Madrazo facts for kids
Juan de Madrazo y Kuntz (born in 1829 in Madrid, Spain, and died there in 1880) was a Spanish architect. He was also an expert at restoring old buildings.
Contents
Juan de Madrazo's Life and Work
Early Life and Education
Juan came from a very artistic family. His father, José Madrazo, was a famous portrait painter. His brothers, Federico de Madrazo and Luis de Madrazo, were also painters. Juan decided to be different and chose architecture instead of painting.
He started as an apprentice at the Palacio Real de Madrid, which is the Royal Palace in Madrid. He worked under Domingo Lafuente, who was the official Palace Architect. In 1846, Juan became a student at the new School of Architecture.
Becoming an Architect
Juan finished his studies in 1852. After that, he became a professor in Valencia. He taught at the "School of Construction Masters." There, he taught about building design and legal rules for construction.
In 1854, Juan moved back to Madrid. He wrote a book about surveying, which is about measuring land and buildings. He also started another book about popular architecture styles. In 1855, he worked on a big plan to make the Puerta del Sol area in Madrid look new. However, this project was never finished.
Restoring Important Buildings
Juan de Madrazo was one of the few architects in Madrid who designed buildings in the "International Style." This style was developed by a French architect named Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. Juan was in charge of many restoration projects. Restoring means fixing and preserving old buildings.
One of his most famous projects was working on the outside of the Church of Las Calatravas in Madrid. He also did similar work on the León Cathedral. This was a very important job. After he passed away, he received a special medal for his work on the León Cathedral. This medal was given at the National Exhibition of Fine Arts in 1881.
His Legacy
Juan de Madrazo died suddenly in 1880 when he was 51 years old. His career as an architect was not very long. Because of this, there are not many buildings that he designed himself. However, his work in restoring important historical buildings is still remembered.
See also
In Spanish: Juan de Madrazo y Kuntz para niños
