Madrid- the city that never sleeps

The area in which Madrid is located has been inhabited since prehistoric times, in fact it is not known exactly when the city was founded. We know that when the Arabs arrived in Spain, Madrid was a small village and that during his Reconquest, Alfonso VI of Castile reconverted Madrid to Christianity and the city became part of the kingdom of Castile. The marriage between Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon led to the union of Castile and Aragon and, subsequently, Charles V, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, as well as heir to the Throne of Aragon, was proclaimed, to all intents and purposes, King of Spain, with the name of Charles I. Charles never lived in Spain, but only retired when he decided to abdicate. In order not to force his successors to experience the numerous contrasts and conflicts he had experienced as Emperor and King of two kingdoms in conflict with each other, Charles V decided that he would abdicate, dividing his possessions. He left the imperial throne to his brother Ferdinand, while he left the Spanish throne to his son Philip. Philip became King of Spain with the name Philip II. King Philip II made Madrid the capital of his kingdom. This was a century of rise for Spain, so much so that it was known as the "Siglo de Oro", in fact it was a century of cultural, artistic and literary development, represented by artists such as Ribera, El Greco and Velázquez, Tirso de Molina and Santa Teresa de Jesus. Cultural development was also accompanied by economic development, but also by demographic and social stagnation, as the difference between rich and poor was increasingly visible. This situation also occurred in the following centuries and the management of the kingdom became quite difficult. In 1706 Felipe V of the House of Bourbon wanted to give greater prestige to the city, building buildings such as the Royal Palace and the Aranjuez. It was only with Carlos III that the city managed to establish itself in imperial Europe. In the early 19th century, his successor Carlos IV was not as well liked as Carlos III, and had to quell the rioting people in the Aranjuez riots. The unrest was also brought about by Prince Fernando VII who treacherously forced his father to abdicate in his favor. The new government, therefore, had to submit to Napoleonic troops, who subsequently fell to the rebellion of the people of Madrid. In 1814, after the Spanish War of Independence, Fernando VII returned to the throne and recognized the new liberal Constitution. In the second half of the 19th century, after a new popular revolution, Queen Isabella II was overthrown and the first Republic of Spain was proclaimed, which was suppressed two years later, when Alfonso XII was proclaimed king. The royal house weakened after losing some of the Spanish colonies, while the social question gave rise to new unrest between social classes. In this period of social discontent, Marxism spread. From popular discontent to dictatorship, it was a short step. Between 1936 and 1939, Madrid was hit by the Spanish Civil War and the coup d'état that led to the Dictatorship of General Franco. During the Franco dictatorship. there was a significant demographic increase in the city, due to the displacement of agricultural areas to industrialize the capital. Upon the death of General Franco in 1975, Madrid had Juan Carlos I as its new monarch. Juan Carlos I abdicated in favor of his son Felipe on 19 June 2014, who ascended the throne with the name of Philip IV.

Madrid is a city to be experienced both day and night. Madrilenians love to live their city, they love being outdoors and meeting at the end of the working day. Thanks to its rich nightlife, expressions such as " Madrid me mata " (Madrid kills me) or " Madrid nunca duerme " (Madrid never sleeps) were born. Be careful though, Madrid is not only for nightlife lovers, but also lovers of walks, landscapes and art, in fact in the city there are three great museums: the Prado Museum, the Reina Sofia and the Thyssen Museum. The Prado Museum is one of the most important museums in the world, where it is possible to relive the history of European art of the last five centuries, admiring works by artists such as Caravaggio, Goya, Raffaello, Velazquez, just to name a few. We advise you to make the tickets in advance, to avoid hours in a row and not to show up there with too many bags, since you cannot take them with you. Furthermore, by consulting the official website of the Museum, you will find a series of time slots in which access to the museum is completely free. In the Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid , on the other hand, there are works of contemporary art from the 20th and 21st centuries. The structure that houses it was initially a hospital and it was until 1986, when it was later converted to become the Reina Sofía Art Center . The most treated painters are Dalì, Mirò and Picasso. Here you can admire Guernica, Picasso's great work that occupies an entire wall of the room in which it is exhibited. We advise you to see the painting before closing, so that you can fully admire it. In the Thyssen-Bornemisza museum , many works belonging to the German steel magnate are collected, to which the museum owes its name. Baron Hans Thyssen-Bornemisza, brought together in this museum all the works that, at the death of his father, were divided among the various heirs and that over time, he bought back. The museum has been open since 1992 and among its artists are Van Eyck, Caravaggio, Van Gogh, Gaughin and Hopper.

Madrid is the capital of a monarchy and, like all monarchical capitals, has its Royal Palace. The majestic Royal Palace of Madrid, also called the Palazzo d'Oriente as it overlooks the Piazza D'Oriente, dates back to 1764 and was built in place of the ancient residence of the Spanish royal family which was destroyed by fire during the night of Christmas of 1734. The Alcázar , a 9th-century Muslim fortress, built at the behest of the Emir Mohamed, to defend against the threat of Christians, was right where the Royal Palace stands. Its reconstruction was commissioned by the Spanish king Philip V, who ordered that the palace be built in stone, completely excluding wood, given the previous fire. The facade of the building was created on the model of the Louvre in Paris and the testimony of the late Italian Baroque. The whole complex covers an area of approximately 135,000 square meters, has more than 3000 rooms, and is the largest royal palace in Europe. Inside there are important collections, including string instruments signed by Antonio Stradivari, kept in the Capilla Real. There are also the ancient vases that housed the medicinal plants of the Real Pharmacy. Instead in the Real Armeria , the collection of weapons and armor that belonged to the king and the royal family is kept, starting from the thirteenth century. To date, the sovereigns reside in the Zarzuela Palace and the Royal Palace is home to official events and state ceremonies. The Royal Palace can be visited and, just like for the Prado Museum, there are time slots in which entry is free.

Near the Royal Palace, there is also the Almudena Cathedral, one of the main Catholic places of worship in Madrid. The cathedral has a complex history, in fact its first project was designed in 1879 by Francisco de Cubas but in 1885 Pope Leo XIII issued the papal bull with which he sanctioned the creation of the bishopric of Madrid-Alcalá and the project, from church, was converted in the cathedral. From there Cubas created a project inspired by the French Gothic art of the thirteenth century. The crypt was inaugurated in 1911 but the works were interrupted during the Civil War, and then resumed in 1939. In the meantime, the Gothic style was now out of date and little in line with other buildings, and a national competition was launched to design a new architectural project, won by Fernando Chueca Goitia and Carlos Sidro. This explains the different mix of styles of the Cathedral. Inside there is the statue of the Madonna dell'Almudena and a representation of the Via Crucis.

Plaza Mayor is one of the symbolic squares of Madrid. Its construction began in the seventh century, at the behest of King Philip III, to whom the equestrian statue carved in bronze was dedicated. The square has a rectangular plan, flanked by arcades and was inaugurated in 1620. Seeing it today, no one would think that it was hit between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries by 3 major fires. Plaza Mayor has 9 access doors and among these, the most famous is the Arco de Cuchilleros . Among the most beautiful buildings in the square, there is the Casa de la Panaderia , a building adorned with two towers decorated with frescoes representing an allegory of the zodiac. Puerta del Sol , another very famous square, is the place where the Madrid New Year is celebrated. In the square there is the Real Casa de Correo , the oldest building in the square which today houses the presidency of the community of Madrid and the old post office. Above the Real Casa de Correo, there is the historic clock, which marks the campanadas , the 12 chimes that signal the last seconds of the year that is about to end. In the square there are also emblematic symbols of the city, including the madroño , the bear that bites the strawberry tree and the "zero kilometer", better known as Origen de las calles radiales , since from this point it is possible to calculate the distances in kilometers across the country.

One of the places that you must not miss to immerse yourself in greenery and relaxation is the Buen Retiro Park . It was built in 1640, but only opened to the public in 1868, when the gardens were owned by the municipality. In the beginning it was a park where the monarchs relaxed, in fact inside it were built the Teatro del Buon Retiro, where the best known actors of the Spanish theater (1500-1600) performed while, for the prestigious parties, the " Cason del Buen Retiro ". To date, the emblem of the beauty of this park is the Crystal Palace , built in 1887 to house numerous botanical species inside. Entering the park you will be enchanted by the beauty of the Monument to Alfonso XII which stands on an artificial lake. If you like the idea, you can rent a boat to take a tour of the pond.

Gran vía , on the other hand, is the beating heart of the city. It is the main shopping street and is lined with majestic buildings dating back to the early twentieth century, whose architectural style of Art Nouveau and Deco make this area even more particular. Although over the years, neighborhoods such as the TriBall and Salamanca have also gained prestige. One of the points where the Gran Via culminates is Plaza de España , one of the most popular squares in Madrid. Arriving in the square, you will recognize the statue of the great Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes , depicted together with Don Quixote of La Mancha and Sancho Panza, the two characters of his masterpiece. The statue was made by Lorenzo Coullaut Valera. In the square, you can also admire the Torre de Madrid and the España building , in neo baroque style.
Plaza de Cibeles , you will recognize it thanks to its Fuente de la Cibeles and the Palace. The name of the square derives from the Roman goddess of nature (Cybele or Ceres). The fountain shows Cibeles in a chariot drawn by two lions and was built between 1777 and 1782.

A few steps from Plaza de España, there is the temple of Debod , a Temple of Ancient Egypt rebuilt in Madrid in the 1960s. The temple was donated to Spain by Egypt in recognition of the aid received from Spain, to safeguard some temples in danger during the construction of the Aswan Dam. The Temple of Debod stands on a hill where the Cuartel de la Montaña was located , where a bloody episode of the Spanish Civil War took place. After being transported to Spain, the Temple of Debod was rebuilt to respect the original orientation, from east to west. The temple dates back to the second century. C. and was originally located in the city of Debod, on the banks of the Nile river. In summer, or at least on sunny days, you will see many people, Madrileni and not, go here at sunset. From the hill where the temple stands, you can enjoy one of the most beautiful sunsets you can ever see in your life. In addition, the temple is located inside a park where you will find it easy to find guys who dance, others who play, someone who prefers to relax and read or even who rides a bicycle.

For all those who love bullfighting, even if it is no longer possible to see it, or in any case, it is possible only on some days of the year, it is possible to visit the large Plaza de Toros de Madrid, the Las Ventas arena. This is the third largest arena in the world, with a capacity of around 26,000 spectators. The arena is circular in shape and is surrounded by the stands, among which there is the exclusive "balcony" of the king, next to which there is the tent , where the president sits and acts as a referee for the bullfight. Those who do not like bullfighting, but still want to visit something other than the usual museums, then we recommend you go to the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium , the great museum stadium of Real Madrid, the largest team in the city. By purchasing the entrance ticket, you can take the tour of the museum, where you will find jerseys, cups, trophies of all kinds and you can also access the field and the changing rooms where the Blancos get ready before the game.

Madrid is a lively city, whose spotlights are always on, 7 days a week. There are many things to do at all hours of the day and night. First of all, we can only advise you to take a walk along Calle de Alcala and enter one of the many museums of the Jamon Serrano , where being " a la barra " you can enjoy a delicious sandwich with the famous jamon serrano and a drink at the cost of only € 2. Also, always in this area, you can go to the elegant Mercado de San Miguel , a beautiful very elegant market where you can taste everything you prefer: tapas, bacalao or the famous sandwich with fried calamari. Really all tasty. If you are a musical lover, in the evening, the Gran Via becomes a Spanish Broadway, with many very famous musicals, such as The Lion King and Mamma Mia !. Then there are the Malasaña neighborhoods which is the right place to listen to live music and experience the barrio and then Chueca, the gay district of the capital. In this trendy and elegant neighborhood there are a large variety of restaurants, tapas bars and pubs with different musical styles. La Latina is the right place where you can go to experience the Latin soul of Madrid, in fact, as the name says, this is the neighborhood where most Spaniards of Latin American origin live. Here in August the feast of Santa Maria de la Paloma is held and is celebrated on the street, with dancing, concerts of Latin music and barbeque. In the oldest part, don't miss the Cava Baja and Cuchilleros. Its location, near the El Rastro flea market, makes this neighborhood very crowded.

Climate : Madrid has a slightly continental climate, with moderately cold winters and very hot summers. The rains are not frequent and the period with the most rains is from October to April. The average temperature in January is 5.5 ° C, while that in July is 25 degrees.
Curiosity : Madrilenians are also called gatos. This name has a historical explanation: in 1085 Madrid was under the control of the Moors. King Alfonso VII's troops were about to besiege the city when one of the Spanish soldiers climbed the wall. Climbing with the same agility as a cat, he reached the highest part of the walls and replaced the Moorish flag with the Christian one. From that moment, he earned the name of Gato.
Tips : try chocolate with churros, a pairing that represents the tradition dating back to the 19th century. The most famous Chocolatería is the historic Chocolatería San Ginés.