Madrid City Council Nativity Scene

From 28 November 2025 to 4 January 2026
28 November: Opening event, from 16:00 to 19:00 (last entry)
General opening hours: 10:30 to 19:00 (last entry)
24, 25 and 31 December: 10:30 to 13:00 (last entry)
Visits every 30 minutes, subject to capacity

Originally crafted by the artisan José Luis Mayo, the Madrid City Council Nativity Scene is a treasure composed of around 200 figures and 20 structures, as well as various natural elements. Located in the Operations Hall of CentroCentro, its circular, two-level design represents a scenographic challenge that allows visitors to observe every detail from any angle, offering a truly immersive 360-degree experience.

The sequence of scenes proposed by the Madrid Nativity Scene Association follows the Gospels of Luke and Matthew, with some nuances from the apocryphal texts. It begins with the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary by the angel Gabriel, depicted next to a public fountain, as recounted in the apocryphal gospels, and at the foot of Herod's castle. From there, the scene unfolds through a series of everyday scenes—such as the miller, the blacksmith, or a mother delousing her child—that illustrate the everyday life of the time.

A particularly striking moment is the search for lodging: Joseph and Mary, newly arrived in Bethlehem, are rejected by the innkeeper in front of a caravanserai, the hostel where travellers spent the night, whose interior is visible in the display. The route continues with the Annunciation to the shepherds, who guard their flocks under the stars while the animals shelter in a cave.

Then comes the majestic Procession of the Three Wise Men advancing towards Bethlehem, a prelude to the Nativity, which this year is displayed with its full structure: the cave below and, above it, the pavilion with singing angels. The journey ends with the Flight into Egypt, a dynamic and deep composition set beside a waterfall flowing into a lake, whose waters merge with the river crossing Bethlehem.

The creator of this extraordinary Nativity, José Luis Mayo Lebrija, is a sculptor from Toledo and an internationally recognised master of Nativity art. His style is characterised by historical rigour and artistic quality, consistently present throughout his extensive work.