The Gran Vía (Spanish: [ˈɡɾam ˈbi.a], Great Way) is a street in central Madrid, Spain.

Decades after the first plans were revealed, ground-breaking and construction tarried causing the media to ridicule the project, cynically calling it the 'Gran Vía' or 'Great Way' or 'Big Way'.

At the end of March 2018, the city council of Madrid began the pedestrianization of a lane in each direction as part of a plan to extend sidewalks and remodel some squares around the street.

The reason for these attacks in this area was that the "Edificio de Telefónica" (the Spanish phone company) was on this street, and due to its height it served aviation as a reference point during shellings.

Just after the end of the war when the rebels entered Madrid, they renamed the road Avenida de José Antonio ("José Antonio Avenue") after one of their greatest political figures, founder of the fascist party, Falange.

A bit further along the Gran Vía, on the left-hand side is another landmark, the Edificio Grassy, another corner building with a small tower, built in 1917.

However, recent[update] changes in building rules have allowed the reformation of the theatres into more lucrative shopping centres.

Here the Gran Vía becomes the Calle Princesa, leading north to the Arco de la Victoria.