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Madrid: the magnificent royal capital of Spain
• 21 Jun 2007 •
 By Barbara Kamphuis
OUR journey through Spain has brought us to the autonomous region of Madrid, which was only constituted by law in 1983; before then, it was part of what is now called Castile-La Mancha and Castile- Leon. Madrid is the capital of Spain and situated right in the middle of the country with the two previously mentioned regions as neighbours.
Although the site of modern-day Madrid has been occupied since pre-historic times, the first historical data of the city comes from the ninth century, when Muhammad I ordered the construction of a small palace, occupied by the Palacio Real. During the rule of Felipe II in the 16th century, Madrid became the home of the Royal Court. Many of the palaces in the city were built under Felipe V, Spain’s first Bourbon king.
Madrid is also the headquarters of the Spanish government and the Royal family who have a palace in the city, as well as in the province. It is a multi-cultural city that is known for its liveliness, with so much going on all year round. There are more than 84,000 places to stay, making tourism an important source of income for the city.
The capital is famous for its countless monuments and its three main museums: The Prado, the Thyssen Bournemiza and the Reina Sofia, which are known as the ‘Golden Triangle of Art’, due to their location along the Paseo del Prado, near Atocha station - the scene of the March 2004 terrorist attack. They feature the works of the famous Spanish artists Salvador Dalí, Diego Velasquez, Francisco Goya and Pablo Picasso, whose most famous painting Guernica can be seen in the Reina Sofia museum. The Prado museum is renowned for its collection of works by European masters including Rubens, Rembrandt and the personal favourite of Spanish King Felipe II, Hieronymus Bosch.
Famous monuments in the city include the Palacio Real and the Plaza Oriente, where you can find the Almudena Cathedral, the Puerta del Sol, the city centre (where Kilometre Zero of all Spanish roads is situated) and the Plaza Mayor. The Royal Palace is also called Palacio de Oriente due to its location. It is the official residence of the King of Spain, although King Juan Carlos and his family actually reside in the smaller Palacio Zarzuela. The Palacio Real is currently only used for state occasions.
The Plaza Mayor is one of the main squares in the centre of Madrid and is situated close to the other major square, Puerta del Sol. The Casa de la Panaderia dominates the square and is used for municipal and cultural functions. The name of the square has changed many times, but at the end of the Spanish Civil War it reverted to its current name. The square has been the scene of a multitude of events: markets, bullfights, soccer games, public executions, and, during the Spanish Inquistion, autos de fe, (public trials) against supposed heretics and the executions of those condemned to death. Celebrations for San Isidro, patron saint of Madrid, are also held here.
The Gran Via is the main upscale shopping street in Madrid and stretches from Plaza de Cibeles to Plaza de España. Besides famous designer stores, it also has a large number of hotels and large movie theatres. Along the Gran Via there are great architectural masterpieces, since part of the city was demolished as part of a project to connect the Calle Alcala with the Plaza de España, giving architects an opportunity to let their creativity flow.
A pleasant space to relax after a long day walking through the beautiful streets of Madrid is the Parque del Buen Retiro, close to the Prado Museum. In the park, there is a large artificial lake with the Mausoleum of Alfonso XII and a large statue of him on horseback. It is often the scene of puppet shows which provide great enjoyment to children. Furthermore, you can find all sorts of street performers and fortune tellers, and you can rent a boat to go round the lake.
The Puerta de Alcalá is a monument in the Plaza de la Independencia, very close to the city centre and several metres away from the main entrance to the Parque del Buen Retiro. The Plaza de Cibeles is an attractive square featuring a beautiful sculpture and fountains that have been adopted as a symbol for the city.
The Cibeles fountain is found in the part of Madrid commonly called the Paseo de Recoletos. It depicts the goddess Cibeles, the Phrygian goddess of fertility, who is seen sitting on a chariot being pulled by two lions.
A possibly unusual sight is the ancient Egyptian temple, the Temple of Devod. It was built in southern Egypt and was donated to Spain as a token of gratitude for the help provided by Spain in saving the temples of Abu Simbel, in 1968 after it was threatened by the construction of the Aswan Dam, which started in 1960. UNESCO made an international call to save this rich historical patrimony together with other archaeological sites. It constitutes one of the few works of ancient Egyptian architecture which can be seen outside Egypt and the only one of its kind in Spain.
El Escorial or The Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo El Real is located about 45km North West of Madrid. It comprises two architectural complexes of great historical and architectural value: El Real Monasterio de Escorial itself and La Granjilla de la Fresneda, a royal hunting lodge and monastic retreat about five kilometres away.
Although the city of Madrid has a great deal to offer visitors, it is also worthwhile to take a trip to the province. |  Return to Top
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