Money Heist

No heist had ever garnered as much media attention as the one that began on our screens back in 2017. Watched by millions in over 190 countries, this Netflix hit has received numerous awards, including an International Emmy for Best Drama Series. Set in Madrid, most of the action takes place in the Royal Mint of Spain, so it’s not uncommon to see people standing outside it taking a selfie. But, we’re going to let you into a little secret: the façade that we see on our screens is not actually the Royal Mint, but the CSIC or the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). The fourth season brought many more locations to our city. Discover them!

A misleading façade

The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) is the country’s largest public scientific research institution. The exteriors of the building where the characters are busy printing out 2.4 billion euros belongs to the CSIC, and not to the Royal Mint.

An excellent alternative

The series was not shot in the Royal Mint for two reasons. Founded in 1893, following the merge of the Casa de la Moneda and the Fábrica del Sello, this entity is in charge of producing bank notes and coins, so filming inside was obviously out of the question. Another reason was operational factors: the Royal Mint is located on the corner of a very narrow street, Calle Jorge Juan, and a very busy one, Calle Doctor Esquerdo. However, the CSIC which has a very similar façade is situated in an area closed to traffic, making it easier to film action scenes. The Royal Mint of Spain is not open to the public, but you can visit its museum, Casa de la Moneda Museum, which is considered one of the most important of its kind in the world. Its numismatic collection provides an overview of the history of coins from the 7th century to the present, and its philatelic collection includes all Spanish postage stamps ever issued by Correos, the Spanish postal service.

The Rooftop in Money Heist

In episode 3, the stars go up to the rooftop of the building, which is not possible at the headquarters of the CSIC, as it does not have one. Therefore, they went to the rooftop of the Aeronautical Engineering School, at number 3, Calle del Cardenal Cisneros in Madrid.

Finally, if you go to Number 30, Calle Miguel Yuste (in theSan Blas-Canillejas district, close to Quinta de los Molinos and the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium) you will be surprised to see the secret  warehouse from which  The Professor gives his orders. 

Much more Madrid in the third season

The third season of the series  was launched in July 2019 and Madrid played an important role in it yet again. If you visit our city, you will recognise the central  Plaza de Callao (the square in which thousands of 50-euro notes thrown in the air) or the Ministry of Public Works (in reality, the façade of the Bank of Spain, where the  new robbery takes place is not actually the national bank but rather, this ministry in the Nuevos Ministerios area). You will also be able to enjoy the rooftop of the Fine Arts Circle or the Cuatro Torres Business Area (which is observed whilst the banknotes were being thrown in the air) or our hundred year old Gran Vía (where Marseille rides his bicycle whilst driving the police crazy).

The fourth season 

In the midst of the Coronavirus crisis, the fourth season came out in which Madrid was yet again reflected.  

In episode 3, the scene in which the Professor and Berlin discuss the advisability or not of   Palermo – also present in the scene – leading the Bank of Spain hold-up, which takes place inside the Madrid Casino, of which we can see its spectacular modernist staircase and the Bar Las Estancias. It is here where Berlin has a problem with his bow tie...

In the same episode, Agent Antoñanzas, who has become a mole, phones the Professor from a phone box located in Paseo del Pintor Rosales, on the corner of Calle Romero Robledo, just next to the house where the sculptor, Victorio Macho (author of the famous statue of Benito Pérez Galdós which can be found in El Retiro), used to live, as can be seen on a plaque on the façade. However, don’t bother looking for the phone box.... It doesn’t exist.  

Don’t miss it! In the fifth season.... The heist comes to an end.