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City Overview
According to Arab chroniclers, it was in AD 852 that the Emir of Crdoba, Mohamed I (AD 852–886), ordered a fortress to be built on the left bank of the Manzanares River, the geographical centre of the Iberian Peninsula. He named the settlement ‘Mayrit’ (‘source of water’) and in it lay the seeds of the city now known as Madrid. Traces of this flourishing Moorish town survive to this day, in a section of town wall (muralla Arabe) near the Royal Palace, as well as in the mudjar architectural style of Madrid’s oldest church, San Nicols de las Servitas.
Mayrit (or Magerit) was situated in a strategically important location and Christians and Arabs fought bitterly over the territory until late in the 11th century, when Alfonso VI finally settled matters by capturing the Alczar (castle) after a three-year siege. However, it would be another 500 years before Philip II took the historic decision, in 1561, to move his capital from Valladolid to Madrid. Today, Madrid remains Spain’s financial and political core, home to the Cortes (Parliament), Senate and Royal Family, as well as the extraordinary cultural riches of the Golden Triangle – the Prado, Reina Sofa and Thyssen-Bornemisza art museums.
With a population of just over three million, Madrid is Europe’s fourth largest city (after London, Paris and Milan) and its highest capital, at 650m (2,132ft) above sea level. The repression and torpor of the Franco era (1939–75) are now all but forgotten by Madrileos who, perhaps more than any other Spaniards, are determined to vivir a tope (live life to the full). The craving for conspicuous enjoyment, not to mention the 2,800 hours of annual sunshine, turn the streets into bustling centres of public display. Madrid’s infectious and colourful fiestas punctuate the year, with each barrio (district) trying to outdo the other in its celebrations. The highlights include Reyes Magos (Feast of the Three Kings), Carnival, the religious processions of Holy Week, the San Isidro festival in May (the beginning of the bullfighting season) and Nochevieja (New Year’s Eve), when the Puerta del Sol becomes the focal point during several hours of uninhibited partying. Visitors should also look out for the major cultural festivals, notably the Veranos de la Villa in summer and the autumn Festival de Otoo, embracing film, dance, theatre and music of every description. Although Madrid’s climate is more extreme than other Spanish locations, the warm dry summers and cool winters still allow for many alfresco activities.
Although anxious to appear ‘modern’ in clothes, outlook and lifestyle, Madrileos remain fiercely traditional, clinging to their customs more noticeably than their cosmopolitan Barcelonese rivals do. Most choose to live at home until marriage, divorce remains controversial (particularly in high society) and the family surpasses everything.
While the Comunidad de Madrid (Madrid Province) stretches over 8,000sq km (3,090sq miles), the city’s historic heart is easily explored on foot. The narrow, labyrinthine streets of the medieval quarter contrast with the grand boulevards, laid out in the 18th and 19th centuries – the period when Madrid began to take on the trappings of a modern capital. Each barrio (district) has its own distinctive atmosphere – Lavapis, Malasaa and Chueca being the oldest and most interesting. Many visitors first get to know the central area, known as the Madrid of the Austrias (a reference to the Hapsburg era), situated roughly between the Palacio Real and the Puerta del Sol, Madrid’s ‘mile zero’. It is only a short walk from here to the city’s main street, the Gran Va, lined with shops, banks, offices, bars and cinemas. Fashionable Madrid starts with the Salamanca district and the boutiques of Calle Serrano, while the modern business quarter extends along the north–south axis, known as the Paseo de la Castellana. Distinguished by its skyscrapers and impressive office blocks, this is where the multinationals have their headquarters. At the far (northern) end of the Paseo de la Castellana are the ‘leaning towers’ of the Puerta de Europa (Gateway of Europe), a daring display of architecture symbolising the city’s confidence in its future. Indeed, Madrid has already launched its bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games, which would not only win the city some desirable developments and revenue but also award Madrid the status of one of the world’s major players.
Since the 11 March 2004 terrorist attacks, where 191 people died after a series of bombs exploded simultaneously on commuter trains heading toward the mainline train station Atocha at the height of the rush hour, the city has sobered up quite considerably. The bombings produced a sense of unprecedented solidarity. Everybody went out of their way to help the victims, by donating blood, driving the injured in private vehicles, helping friends and family search for victims, giving food and drink, offering shelter, or simply by listening to those affected. Since then, even though Madrid is used to terrorist attacks, mainly from radical Basque separatist group ETA, the train bombings bought a sense of unease and suspicion not felt since the death of General Franco in 1979 and the subsequent period of transition and political instability. Despite the brutality of the attacks, it has been ‘business as usual’ with no noticeable impact on the economy. Many of the victims of 11 March 2004 where immigrants, and as a result the Government has issued residence permits to the families of the victims.
The best times to visit Madrid is between March-June and then during September and October. July in Madrid must be avoided at all costs because it is when the heat will be at its most extreme. August, while still a very hot month, is the month where most locals will take their holidays and the resulting exodus to the seaside resorts leave Madrid rather empty, which although very practical in terms of avoiding crowds, it does mean that most shops and businesses will be shut for the entire month.
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City Overview