Callejón del Gato

This street is actually called Álvarez Gato, but by residents of Madrid, it’s called the Callejón del Gato (Alley Cat), one of the most well known literary corners in all of Madrid. It’s where Max Estrella spoke with don Latino de Hispalis in the work ‘Luces de Bohemia’ by Valle-Inclán. This alley housed concave mirrors that deformed the images of the people reflected in them, a vision of the reality of the ‘Esperpento’ theory. The original mirrors were destroyed in the ‘90s, but today you can look at yourself through new mirrors that have been placed behind bars and away from the street to keep the literary spirit intact.