Madrid officially became Spain’s capital in 1607 and today has a
population of over 3 million people. Situated in the centre of Spain’s plateau
Madrid is one of the highest capitals in the world. Summers can be very hot and
winters very cold and often windy, great variations in temperature during the
day is not unusual. The city contains many great art museums, monuments and art
galleries, lively plazas,
mighty boulevards and neighbourhoods brimming with character, Madrid has plenty
of sights to keep the eyes, ears and mind occupied.The general aspect of Madrid is modern,
with boulevards and fashionable shopping areas, but the old quarters have picturesque streets.
Probably the most interesting ones are the Museum del Prado, which is one of the
most important art galleries in Europe, Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, which
contains works of modern Spanish art, and the Palacio Real, which contains
tapestries, together with a collection of weapons and suits of armour.
Madrid is almost in the exact geographic center of
Spain and is the nation's chief transportation and administrative centre.
Madrid is foremost as a banking, education, printing, publishing,
tourism, and motion-picture centre. Many corporate headquarters are located
there. An archiepiscopal see, Madrid also has a university, transferred from
AlcalA de Henares in 1836.
Madrid, where past and present live together, is a creative, diverse, unique
and attractive city. With more than three million inhabitants, it is
characterised by its affability and hospitality.
Madrid offers cultural and leisure activities for all tastes and all ages -
concerts, opera and ballet; movies and theatre; shows; nightclubs and tablaos
flamencos; sports events and bullfights.
The best way to really see Madrid is to walk through its streets. There are a
large number of places worth visiting and a wide choice of organised walking
tours.
Madrid, founded by the Moors in the 9th Century, is
currently a modern, active city offering innumerable attractions to the visitor.
Its architectural heritage is immense. The medieval village has been preserved
around the Plaza de la Paja. The quarter known as Madrid of the Austrian, near
the Puerta del Sol, the traditional city centre was built in the Golden Age. In
this area are the Plaza Mayor, which is colonnaded and considered to be one of
the finest in Spain, and the Plaza de la Villa, with its beautiful City Hall
Building, both Baroque in style and dating from the 17th century. The Royal
Palace, surrounded by gardens that are now partially open to the public, is a
magnificent example of 18th century palatial art. The city also has numerous
interesting treasures from the 19th and 20th centuries and a large number of
parks and gardens, among them el Retiro, the Botanical Gardens, crafted by royal
decree in the 17th Century, the Parque del Oeste and the Casa de Campo.
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