If you are planning to visit the beautiful and upbeat city of Madrid, Spain, and looking to do a little shopping while you’re in town, you will definitely want to check out the Edificio ABC, also known as the ABC Serrano Building or the Centro Comercial ABC Serrano. Edificio ABC has been described as Madrid’s most emblematic commercial center, and a symbol of the city’s booming commerce. Below we have provided a brief overview of the center, including its location, history, features and the types of items you will find there if you decide to shop.
Edificio ABC: An Overview
The Edificio ABC is located in the Salamanca neighborhood of Madrid, one of the city’s wealthiest areas, on the Calle de Serrano, with access also from Paseo de la Castellana. The Calle de Serrano is a very popular area for local shoppers, nicknamed the “Golden Mile” for the unique and high-quality goods that can be found in the many shops that dot this famous street.
The building that now houses this classy uptown mall, with shops selling mainly high-fashion clothing, takes its name from the Spanish right-wing newspaper called “ABC,” which once had its headquarters here. The “Serrano” part of its title is merely a reference to the Calle de Serrano, the street on which the Edificio ABC is located.
Edificio ABC is owned and operated by Reyal Urbis, a company formed through a 2007 merger of the two companies Construcciones Reyal and Inmobiliaria Urbis. Reyal Urbis now operates buildings and malls in over 40 major cities throughout the Iberian Peninsula. The center in Madrid is actually an assembly of three buildings, one dating back to 1896, designed by architect Lopez of Salaverry. The other two buildings were constructed in 1926 and 1932, the works of architects Anibal Sanchez and Anasagasti respectively. The buildings were transformed into a fashion shopping mall in 1989 under the direction of architect D. Bayón Mariano Alvarez, who managed to artfully combine the old with the new to provide an exceptional experience for Madrid’s fashion shoppers.
Edificio ABC extends upward for three stories and is renowned throughout Madrid for its elegance, relaxing atmosphere and superior quality of products. Many shoppers, locals and tourists alike, can often be seen relaxing on the building’s rooftop terrace, enjoying food in the fine restaurant located there and drinking and dancing the night away until dawn at the adjacent bar. The center is home to more than 80 shops, including many high-fashion clothiers such as Boch, Doble, Aa, Musgo, Minority, Zara and Musgo Bebes. In keeping up with the high-quality fashion theme there are also several jewelry stores selling fine gems and keepsakes, along with two hair salons to keep the shoppers at Edificio ABC, most of whom are women, looking their very best. Wine stores and relaxing cafes complete the experience to be had at the ABC Serrano center.
Edificio ABC is easy to get to by car or by taking line 5 of the Madrid Metro to Ruben Dario, a shop situated just a short walking distance northwest of from the mall. Shops are open from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm Monday through Saturday, and from 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm on those Sundays allowed by local regulations.
