Hey everyone, I was in a bit of a show drought recently and decided to rewatch ‘Money Heist,’ and it’s just as addictive as ever! Especially the later seasons, where the Dalí gang robs the Bank of Spain—the plot is incredibly tense and exciting. As a fan based in Madrid, after watching it, I got really curious and just had to see what the place turned upside down by the Professor’s team actually looks like. The weather was great last weekend, so I took a stroll over to check it out, and now I’m here to share what I found.
The Real Bank of Spain
First things first, the magnificent building that looks like the bank in the show is not the actual Bank of Spain! The film crew used the headquarters of the Ministry of Development, located in the Nuevos Ministerios complex in Madrid, for the exterior shots. This is similar to the first season, where the Royal Mint of Spain was actually filmed at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) building. This was likely due to security and filming permit issues. After all, setting up tents and machine guns in front of the real national central bank is pretty much impossible for the Bank of Spain!
However, the real Bank of Spain building is itself quite a sight to behold! It’s located in the very heart of Madrid, right next to Plaza de Cibeles, across from the Cibeles Fountain and the Palacio de Cibeles. The entire building boasts a late 19th-century style, both classical and stately. The security at the entrance also looks much tighter than a typical bank’s, which makes you wonder if the complex security systems from the show might actually exist, haha.
Visitor Info & Comparison
Many of you might be wondering: can you go inside the real bank? Can you see the gold vault? Keep dreaming, folks! Trying to swim in it like Berlin is out of the question. As the national central bank, the Bank of Spain has extremely high security, and it’s not open to the general public for tours. However, there is a small museum inside the bank that you can visit for free by appointment, which mainly showcases the history of Spanish currency and some art collections. Here is some basic information I’ve put together for your reference:
| Item | The Real Bank of Spain | The “Bank of Spain” in the Show |
|---|
| Building | Banco de España | Nuevos Ministerios |
| Location | Plaza de Cibeles | Paseo de la Castellana |
| Public Access | Museum visit by appointment | Exterior photo ops only |
| Gold Reserve | Real, but not public | Central to the plot, flooded and melted |
While the series is a work of fiction, the real Bank of Spain is equally full of history and mystery. For fans of the Bank of Spain heist, when visiting Madrid, you can first go to the Nuevos Ministerios complex to take a photo just like in the show, and then head over to Plaza de Cibeles to see the real bank, experiencing the different charms of both buildings. It’s a great way to complete a ‘Money Heist’ themed pilgrimage! Have any of you also visited these spots? Let’s chat about it!
