Lodares Passage in Albacete — Spain’s Jewel of Modernist Arcades
In the heart of Albacete, the Lodares Passage enchants as one of only three surviving modernist commercial arcades in Spain and arguably the nation’s most beautiful covered shopping gallery. Beneath its iron-and-glass skylight, you’ll feel transported to 19th-century Italian salons.
Commission and Vision
Named for city magnate Gabriel Lodares (and built 1905–1907), this three-story arcade links Calle Mayor and Tinte, combining upper apartments with ground-floor boutiques in a seamless blend of urban life and commerce.
Parisian and Italian Influences
Inspired by Parisian passages yet modeled on Milan’s grand galleries, Lodares Passage features ornate balconies overlooking a bright central corridor lined with retail shops.
Dreamlike Decoration
Delicate wrought-iron columns, sculpted caryatids, floral reliefs, and a majestic lucentaria of metal and glass unite to produce a breathtaking promenade of light and artistry.
Its Modernist Sisters
Alongside Valladolid’s Gutiérrez Passage and Zaragoza’s Ciclón Passage, Lodares forms an elite trio of Spain’s Belle Époque commercial wonders.
Wander under its grand skylight, tilt your gaze upward, and let the modernist splendor of the Lodares Passage sweep you into a bygone era of elegance.
How to get there
Decimal: 38.993333°, -1.855833°
DMS: 38°59'36" N, 1°51'21" O
Es un pasaje pequeño pero precioso, me gusta de vez en cuando tomarte algo durante el frío albaceteño en la tetería que está dentro y relajarme. De lo más bonito de Albacete.