San Antonio de la Florida (Goya's frescoes)

What to expect

The Ermita de San Antonio de la Florida is a small chapel built between 1792 and 1798 by Felipe Fontana for King Charles IV. It has a Greek-cross plan, a semicircular apse and a large dome with a lantern. Goya painted its frescoes in 1798, working for about six months with his assistant Asensio Juliá.

The frescoes show miracles of Saint Anthony of Padua. In the main dome he raises a dead man so that the man's falsely accused father is cleared, and Goya set the scene among ordinary people of contemporary Madrid rather than in medieval Lisbon. Goya, who died in Bordeaux in 1828, is buried here since 1919. In 1928 an identical chapel was built next door for worship, so the original could become a museum.

Don't miss

• Goya's dome with the miracle of Saint Anthony
• Crowd of Madrid townspeople around the scene
• Frescoes in the apse and vaults
• Goya's tomb
• The twin chapel next door

Tips for your visit

• Look up slowly and give the dome a few minutes, as the frescoes are the whole point of the visit.
• Príncipe Pío metro station is the nearest, so it fits well with a walk to the Templo de Debod or Plaza de España.
• Entry is free, but check the official page for opening times.
• Every June there is a popular pilgrimage here on Saint Anthony's day, so expect a lively scene around it.