Money Heist & Madrid
Never has an organized gang of thieves had such media success. The television series La casa de papel (2017-2021) is seen in 190 countries and its viewers number in the millions. Awarded with an International Emmy for Best Drama and other important awards, she has become the star of Netflix. Madrid has gone viral through its main stage: the National Currency and Stamp Factory. There are many people who come to this Madrid institution to take photos and “selfies” on its facade, but did you know that the building we see on the screen is not this one, but that of the Higher Council for Scientific Research, very similar in its architectural structure ? The fifth -and last- season has brought many more locations to our city. Silvia Roba, our most serious blogger tells you all about them!
A confusing facade
The Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) lends the facade of its main headquarters to the series now distributed by Netflix. It pretends to be the building of the National Currency and Stamp Factory (FNMT), where, in fiction, 2,400 million euros must be printed. The CSIC is the state agency that develops and promotes research for the benefit of scientific and technological progress.
The security of the FNMT
Why wasn’t the series shot at the National Currency and Stamp Factory? Simply for security reasons. It must be remembered that this entity, created in 1893 after the merger of the Casa de la Moneda and the Fábrica del Sello, is responsible for nothing less than the production of banknotes and the manufacture of security paper.
Another reason that would have made it necessary to change the location is the narrowness of Calle Jorge Juan, where the FNMT headquarters are located, as it would make filming some shots difficult. And the other facade of the building faces Doctor Esquerdo street, with several lanes on its road and a lot of traffic.
The roof of La Casa de Papel
In chapter 3, the protagonists go up to the roof of the building, something that they could not do at the CSIC headquarters, since it does not have one. So they had to move to the top of the School of Aeronautical Engineers, at number 3 Cardenal Cisneros Street in Madrid.
The Money Heist
Finally, if you go to number 30 Miguel Yuste street (in the San Blas-Canillejas district, near the Quinta de los Molinos and the Wanda Metropolitano stadium) you will be surprised to see the secret warehouse from which The Professor gave his orders. (and more so when you notice that in the series the address is Calle Alcántara, 30)
Much more Madrid in the third season
The third season of the series premiered in July 2019 and in it Madrid is once again very important. So if you visit our city you will recognize the central Plaza de Callao (the square where the thousands of 50-euro bills are thrown) or the Ministry of Public Works (in reality the facade of the Bank of Spain where the new robbery is perpetrated is not the of the national bank, but that of this ministry located in the Nuevos Ministerios area). You can also enjoy the roof of the Círculo de Bellas Artes or the Cuatro Torres Business Area (which can be seen as the airship launches tickets) or our century-old Gran Vía (where Marsella cycles while she drives the police crazy).
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