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From Madrid to Heaven ..."
The capital of Spain since 1562, is located
on the geographic center of the Iberian Peninsula. Because of its
central location and high altitude, the climate of Madrid is
characterized by warm dry summers and cool winters.
Madrid is a city of great monuments. Among its highlights are the
medieval center dating back to the Habsburg Empire and the Prado Museum.
But Madrid is not just a cultural destination. It is also a lively
metropolis with many pubs, cafes, discotheques and nightclubs open late
into the night. Don't be surprised if you get stuck in a traffic jam at
four in the morning, and the people you meet are not necessarily going
off to work....
Madrid:
Sightseeing
- The Medieval Madrid
- We start our walk in Barrio de la
Morería, where the Moors had their law-court, and arrive from here
to three squares which characterize the medieval Madrid: Plaza de
la Paja, the commercial center of this epoch, Plaza de San
Andrés and Plaza de Cruz Verde.
Of particular interest are the Mudejar-style buildings, as the
church of San Nicolás de los Servitas, the tower San Pedro
el Viejo and finally Casa de los Lujanes at Plaza de la
Villa.
- The Madrid of the Habsburg-Epoch
- "El Madrid de los Austrias"
is how Spaniards call the part of the city that was blooming when
Spain belonged to the Habsburg-Empire. Under King Charles I, at
the same time Charles V of the German Empire and the first of
his family to reign Spain, the importance of Madrid grew, but it was
Philip II who made it the capital. To visit the buildings of
this epoch, mainly in Renaissance- and Baroque-styles, is perhaps
among the most impressive Madrid has to offer:
Our tour starts at Puerta del Sol, in the very center of town.
Passing through some narrow streets we arrive to the Descalzas
Reales, to the Monastery de la Encarnación, Palacio de
Uceda, and, through Calle Mayor, to Plaza de la Villa,
a beautiful square with interesting buildings: Casa de la Villa,
Casa Cisneros and Tower of Lujanes. Just behind there is
one of the best-known and most impressive squares of Madrid, Plaza
Mayor, with Casa de la Panadería, an old bakery, and
Casa de la Carnicería, an old butchery, as mayor attractions. In
the center of the square there is a statue of Philip III.
Other buildings worth visiting in this part of town are the
Cathedral of San Isidro, the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and Casa de Lope de Vega, the house of
the famous writer, located in a street named after another great man
of this genre, Calle Cervantes.
- Madrid under the Bourbons
- When the Bourbon family took over the
Spanish crown, Madrid grew to its actual importance. The Royal
Palace, Palacio Real, was built in that epoch. To have a
walk through through the Bourbons' Madrid you should start again at
Puerta del Sol, where you find the remarkable old post.office,
Casa de Correos. Walking along Calle Alcalá, one of the
most important boulevards of Madrid, you arrive to Casa de Postas,
another old post-office, and Real Casa de Aduanas, the Royal
Customs Office.
In the Academy of Arts there is a café with extraordinarily
beautiful decoration - maybe a reason to interrupt your sightseeing-trip
for a moment, although not only your cup of coffee but alone to enter
costs money here ...
Having taken some refreshment, now you will be in the mood to visit
the Oratorio del Caballero de Gracia, a chapel that is
considered a masterpiece of neoclassic architecture. Where the streets
Calle Alcalá and Gran Via cross, you find the splendid
18th century baroque church Iglesia de San José, and
later, at the crossing with Cibeles there is the Palace of
Buenavista, built 1777 for the Duke of Alba.
From here you may either continue on Calle Alcalá and arrive to
the triumphal arch of Puerta de Alcalá, or follow Paseo del
Prado with its beautiful fountains of Cibeles, Apollo
and Neptune, the Botanical Gardens and the
Astronomical Observatory.
- The Madrid of 19th
Century
- In this epoch many parts of Madrid
were modified fundamentally, specially by Joseph Bonaparte, who
after his brother Napoleon had conquered Spain took over the
government and wanted to build in the center of Madrid a wide
boulevard in the style of Paris' Champs Elysées. The square
Plaza de Oriente with the Teatro Real, Madrid's opera house,
were created then. His projects were stopped by Napoleon's
final defeat.
From Plaza de Oriente you pass (once more) Puerta del Sol
and arrive to Calle del Prado, with the Palacio de Congresos,
Teatro de la Zarzuela and Banco de España.
Museo del Prado needs to be visited with time, as it includes
one of the great Museums of Arts in the world.
Parque del Retiro, close to it, is
certainly the most beautiful park of Madrid. Here you may have
relaxing walks or do some boating on its central lake. The most
interesting buildings are the Crystal Palace and the
Velazquez Palace.
- The Madrid of 20th
Century
- At Paseo de la Castellana you
find the most impressive works of this century:
The beautiful gardens Jardines del Descubrimiento at Plaza
de Colón, with a big statue of Christopher Columbus, who by the
way is called Cristobal Colón in Spanish (now you know who gave
his name to all the square). Centro Cultural de la Villa is a
cultural center that organizes concerts and other performances each
night. More up the Castellana there are several interesting
examples of modern architecture: Torres de Colón, Edificio
de la Unión y el Fenix, Bankunión, La Adriatica,
Compañía de Seguros de Occidente, La Caixa, and the
Palace of Congresses and Expositions. The Open Air Sculpture
Museum is certainly worth visiting as well.
Among the more interesting works from between 1980 and 1990 are the
Fish Market of Puerta de Toledo, the redesigned Train Station
of Atocha, the Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, the Windsor-Tower,
erected over the base of other buildings, the Torre Picasso by
Japanese architect Yamasaki of a height of 150 meters,
Edificio Sollube and the impressive Torre Europa.
Another all but different sight of Madrid
that you should not miss is the gigantic flea-market,
El Rasto , that takes place each Sunday
morning in Ribera de Curtidores. Here you can discover new and
nothing less typical facets of this city, and perhaps find one or
another bargain. Worth a visit is certainly also Madrid's bullring,
"Las Ventas" , one of the most important and
traditional in the country, with an elegant Neo-Mudejar-style
facade.
Close to it, in the beautiful gardens of Parque del Oeste with
its outstanding collection of roses, La Rosaleda
, we find a monument which is less than typical for Madrid, but
absolutely worth visiting: the Templo de Debod
is an old-egyptian temple, which was presented to the city by the
Egyptian government and was rebuilt here.
Madrid: Excursions
- Alcala de Henares
- 30 kilometers out of Madrid is located
this old university town which was blooming specially during
the Renaissance-epoch. The University, founded in 1498 by
Cardinal Cisneros, certainly deserves a visit. More attractions
are the 15th century city-walls and the church
Iglesia Magistral, the 17th century Convent of
Bernardas and Casa de Cervantes, the house of the author of
Don Quijote.
Around the town are to be seen remains from prehistorical, Roman and
Gothic epochs.
- Aranjuez
- Made famous by Joaquin Rodrigo's
Concierto de Aranjuez, this small town attracts for its
beautiful palace, Palacio Real, of 16th and 17th
century. Of particular interest are the Porcelain-Room and the
Throne-Hall.
In Casita del Labrador you may visit the large collection of
old clocks and porcelain-works, as well as the beautiful gardens.
- Chinchón
- This romantic medieval village,
located some 50 kilometers from Madrid, is famous for its beautiful
main-square, Plaza Mayor, surrounded by arcades. During
traditional festivities bullfights and theater-performances take place
on this square.
Other sights are the ruins of a 15th century castle and a
painting by Goya, which is exposed in the church.
But people of Madrid like to make excursions to Chinchón
specially because of its well-reputated gastronomy. And the
anisette-brandy made here is known in all the land ...
- El Escorial
- This famous monastery which Philip
II had built 50 kilometers out of Madrid is of course a must
see for any visitor to Spain's capital. It was constructed during
21 years by architects Juan Bautista de Toledo and Juan de
Herrera and impresses by its gigantic measures and its austere
style. Among the mayor attractions are the main chapel, Capilla
Mayor, the Pantheon with the kings' tombs, the Throne-Hall
and the museum in the summer-palace of Philip II.
From Madrid you arrive to the nearby village San Lorenzo del
Escorial easily by train.
- Valley of the Fallen
- El Valle de los Caidos
- General Franco had built this colossal monument to the fallen
of the Spanish civil war in 1940, and he himself is buried here. It
consists of a cross with a height of 150 meters, on top of a rock
which was hollowed out to incorporate a church, and it is located 8
kilometers from El Escorial.
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