Inside Macondo Park, The City Created for Shakira’s Residency in Madrid

Two days before the start of Shakira‘s residency in Madrid, Macondo Park is finalizing the details to open its doors to the public this Friday (Sept. 18) at Iberdrola Music. The space will remain open throughout the 12 concerts of the Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour, offering activities before and after each show.

“Spanish-language music has broken barriers,” said Pino Sagliocco, president of Live Nation Spain, during a tour of the venue on Wednesday (Sept. 16). According to the promoter, Macondo Park aims to extend that reach to other expressions of Latin culture, from literature and gastronomy to fashion, dance and emerging talent.

Shakira also visited the venue during the day to oversee the preparations. According to Sagliocco, the Colombian superstar was “looking at every detail, every corner” ahead of the first concert.

The space looks very different from how it did during past festivals, spanning 150,000 square meters with a capacity for 50,000 people. It also features bleachers built around the stage and a structure that ensures visibility from different points. The project required 16 months of planning and directly involved around 10,000 people, with approximately 1,000 workers present each night. “A new world has been created that didn’t exist before,” explained Sagliocco.

Shakira’s residency is scheduled for Sept. 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27 and 28, as well as Oct. 1, 2 and 3. Macondo Park will be open from 3:30 p.m. to 12:15 a.m. (local time), while Shakira’s shows are set to take place from 8:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. (local time), allowing attendees to explore the space before and after each performance.

The name Macondo refers to the fictional town created for One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez, whose work will have a prominent place in La Biblioteca (The Library), one of the eight pavilions. Sagliocco also recalled the relationship between Shakira and the Colombian writer, noting that the concept reflects the “spirit of freedom, coexistence and tolerance” they sought to bring to the project.

All this is part of ES LATINA, the programming created around the residency to celebrate Latin culture across various disciplines. Below, we break down the eight spaces, each offering a unique experience.