Gasómetro, Madrid

Gasómetro is the popular name for a former gasworks in Madrid's Arganzuela district, today surviving as a park built around its landmark chimney — also known as Parque del Gasómetro, Parque de la Chimenea, or Parque del Rastro.

What is this place?

The story starts in 1848, when Madrid City Council granted land just outside the old Toledo Gate to the Sociedad Madrileña para el Alumbrado de Gas, the company in charge of supplying the city with gas lighting. On that plot rose an industrial complex with furnaces, coal warehouses, several gas storage tanks (the gasometers that gave the whole site its nickname), a forge, offices, and even housing for the workers. Gas was produced from a mixture of coal and resin, and the plant kept running for well over a century.

As electric lighting spread from the 1940s onward, the gasworks gradually lost its purpose. Production moved to the Manoteras district in 1967, and the original buildings along Ronda de Toledo were demolished shortly after. A few elements survived, though: the administrative building, later restored and converted into a vocational school (the Escuela Taller Ronda de Toledo, finished in 1977), a handful of small warehouses now used by the city's cleaning services, and the tall chimney that still towers over the park and has become its emblem.

How do you get there?

The park sits in the Arganzuela district, bounded by Ronda de Toledo and the Paseo de las Acacias and Paseo de los Olmos, next to the street that shares its name, Calle del Gasómetro. The nearest metro stop is Arganzuela-Planetario. The area borders the Madrid Río riverside park and lies close to the neighborhood famous for the El Rastro flea market, so a visit here pairs easily with a longer riverside walk.

What will you see on site?

The main landmark is the tall chimney of the old gasworks, visible from a distance — the reason locals call the place Parque de la Chimenea. The park covers roughly 8,950 square meters and underwent a full renovation in 2022, officially reopened by Madrid mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida. The refreshed space combines city greenery with traces of the site's industrial past, making it worth a stop for anyone curious about Madrid's industrial history, while also serving as an ordinary neighborhood park for Arganzuela residents.

When should you visit?

Daytime is best for taking in the chimney and the layout of the renovated park. As an open green space it works for a stroll in any season, though spring and autumn temperatures in Madrid make it more comfortable to extend the walk toward the nearby Madrid Río promenade.

Frequently asked questions

What was the Gasómetro? It was Madrid's municipal gasworks, operating from the mid-19th century until 1967, when production was relocated to the Manoteras district.

What remains of the original buildings? The restored administrative building (now a vocational school), a few warehouses, and the landmark chimney around which the park was later laid out.

How do you reach the park? The easiest way is by metro, getting off at Arganzuela-Planetario, close to both the park and the Madrid Río promenade.

Is it worth combining with other sights in the area? Yes — the park borders the Madrid Río riverside area and sits near the neighborhood known for the El Rastro market, making it easy to plan a longer walk through Arganzuela.