To Iberia and beyond...: Hidden Madrid: Gau & Café

I don't usually frequent Lavapiés, but a stone's throw from the metro station is a hidden gem. Located on the fourth floor of the Escuelas Pías building (an old university) is Gau & Café, from where you can get views over the city while enjoying a drink.

I first visited Gau & Café (C/ Tribulete, 14, 4th floor, Edificio Escuelas Pías; Metro: Lavapiés, L3) in February 2013 with a Spanish friend who had heard good things about it. I didn't have my camera with me, and with no pictorial evidence and so much else to discover in Madrid, I completely forgot about it. But today, I revisited it and fell in love all over again, despite the incredibly slow service. The rooftop café, which was almost empty when I arrived, was the perfect place to do some marking and enjoy the sun.

There is a small, modern, indoor space and a large outdoor terrace. The terrace has been divided in two, with a smaller section in front for those who only want a drink, and a larger L-shaped section behind for those who want food. People simply looking to take in the views are free to have a wander. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-00:00 and Saturdays/holidays 13:30-00:00, it is well worth a visit.

View across the rooftops

Looking back towards the drinks terrace and part of the old university

An oasis of calm

The limonada natural was worth the wait

Quite aside from its little-known location, Gau & Café comes with an added bonus and that's the historic building it sits atop – El Colegio y la Iglesia de las Escuelas Pías de San Fernando. To make the most of the building, avoid the elevator and take the stairs instead.

More commonly known as Colegio de Lavapiés, the building was founded in 1729 by Father Juan García de la Concepción. In 1737, under Father Tomás Plana de San José three adjacent houses were purchased to build a larger school. The work was finally completed in 1761 by Father Tomás Calle, by which time the school had 2,336 children. Between 1763 and 1791, the church was built by Brother Gabriel Escribano using donations from King Carlos III (r. 1759-1788) and later his son and heir, Carlos IV (r. 1788-1808).

The French invasion in 1808 saw the religious community suppressed and the school library stripped of its books and manuscripts. When the war ended in 1914, Father Losada rebuilt the community and re-established the school. But in July 1936 following the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), like other religious buildings in the city, the school was destroyed.

In 2002, permission was granted to build a library and a centre for the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED).