Madrid is both the capital of Spain and of the autonomous region of the same name.The city is situated on the Meseta plateau in the Castillan region. Madrid lies along the Manzaneres river and at 655 metres, is the highest capital in Europe. Madrid is a large European city (5 million inhabitants) of great cultural and artistic interest, and with a night life few other cities can rival.
Originally a Moorish settlement called Magerit, the city was conquered by the Christians and by the Spanish in the 11th century acquiring great prestige in the 16th century, when Felipe II transferred his court and nominated Madrid as the capital of his empire. Between the 18th and 20th century, with the help of the Bourbons, the city changed radically, seeing the construction of large squares, parks, sumptuous palaces and an efficient road system. The Paseo de la Castellana, is the main road in the city, which runs from north to south and links the two most important railway stations in Madrid.(Chamartin and Atocha). The oldest districts in the city are between Paseo del Prado, site of the city’s art galleries and the Royal Palace in the west of the city. Remains of the original historic centre of Madrid include: Puerto del Sol and Plaza Mayor, historic site of city parades, executions and Inquisition trials.. The square is dominated by the Panaderia (1620), with it two towers dating back to the 18th century. The centre of the square is the site of a statue of Felipe III on horseback. The Royal Palace is located to the west, the official residence of Spain’s royal famil until 1931. the building is now referred to as the Oriental Palace and houses government offices. The Sabatini Gardens , situated in front of the Palace, house artificial lakes, classical statues and tree-lined paths. Madrid’s city life rotates around two important roads, Gran Via and Via Alcala, which represent the city’s path to 20th century modernization. A magnificent fountain representing the Roman- Greek Goddess of nature, Cibeles riding a chariot pulled by two lions, stands in the centre of Plaza de Cibeles. The four corners of the square are occupied by the Bank of Spain, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Communication and America House ( Linares building). The latter houses a fine collection of Latin-American artists.
General Information
Some of the sites in our network:
