Madrid
Motto: De Madrid al Cielo (From Madrid to Heaven)
Coordinates: 40°23′N 3°43′W / 40.383, -3.717
Founded	8th century
Government
- Mayor	Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón (PP)
Area
- Land	607 km² (234. A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group The 8th century is the period from 701 to 800 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. Alcalde () or Alcalde ordinario, is the traditional Spanish municipal magistrate who had both Judicial and administrative functions Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón Jiménez (born December 11 1958 is a Spanish politician and current mayor of Madrid. The People's Party ( Spanish: Partido Popular, PP) is the main right Political party in Spain. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. 4 sq mi)
Elevation	667 m (2,188 ft)
Population (2005)
- City	3,228,359
- Density	5,198/km² (13,462. The elevation of a Geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point often the mean sea level. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 8/sq mi)
- Metro	5,561,748
	population-ranking: 1st
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
- Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	28001-28080
Area code(s)	34 (Spain) + 91 (Madrid)
Website: www.munimadrid.es (Spanish)

Madrid (pronounced [ma'ð̞ɾið̞] or colloquially [ma'ð̞ɾiˑ] in Spanish, and [məˈdɹɪd] in English) is the capital and largest city of Spain. A metropolitan area is a large population center consisting of a large Metropolis and its adjacent zone of influence or of more than one closely adjoining neighboring central UTC+1 is used in the following locations Central European Time West Africa Time Western European Summer Time Daylight saving time ( DST UTC+2 corresponds to the following Time zones Eastern European Time Egypt Standard Time Central Africa Time A postal code (known in various countries as a post code, postcode, or ZIP code) is a series of letters and/or digits appended to a A telephone numbering plan is a plan for allocating Telephone number ranges to countries regions areas and exchanges and to non-fixed telephone networks Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. ^[1]

The city is located on the river Manzanares both in the centre of the country and Community of Madrid (which comprises the city of Madrid, its subsequent conurbation and extended suburbs and villages); this commununity is bordered by the autonomous communities of Castile and León and Castile-La Mancha. The Manzanares is a River in central Spain, which at one point passes through Madrid. An autonomous community is a first-level political division of the Kingdom of Spain, established in accordance with the Spanish Constitution. Castile and León (Castilla y León known formally as the Community of Castile and León is one of the seventeen autonomous communities of Spain. Castile-La Mancha ( Spanish "Castilla-La Mancha" is an autonomous community of Spain. As the capital city of Spain, seat of government, and residence of the Spanish monarch, Madrid is also the political center of Spain. The seat of government is the location of the government for a political entity. The royal sites ( Spanish: reales sitios) are a set of Palaces monasteries, and Convents built for and under the patronage of the ^[2] The current mayor is Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón from the center-right People's Party. A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón Jiménez (born December 11 1958 is a Spanish politician and current mayor of Madrid. The People's Party ( Spanish: Partido Popular, PP) is the main right Political party in Spain. He has been in office since 2003, when he left the Presidency of the Autonomous Community of Madrid and stood as the candidate to replace outgoing mayor José María Álvarez del Manzano, also from the PP. The President of Madrid is the highest-ranking officer of the Autonomous Community of Madrid and the head of the Executive Branch. José María Álvarez del Manzano y López del Hierro ( Sevilla, 17 October 1937 -) is a Spanish politician for the People's Party. In the last local elections of 2007, Ruiz-Gallardón increased the PP majority in the City Council to 34 seats out of 57, taking 55. 5% of the popular vote and winning in all but two districts.

As the capital, Madrid is a city of cultural and political importance. It is also a major European economic centre, and its international airport at Barajas is the largest in Spain. Madrid-Barajas Airport (Aeropuerto de Madrid-Barajas is the main international airport serving the Spanish capital Madrid. Due to its economic output, standard of living, and market size, Madrid is considered the major financial center of the Iberian Peninsula; it hosts the head offices of the vast majority of the major Spanish companies, as well as the headquarters of three of the world's 100 largest companies (Telefónica, Repsol-YPF, Endesa). Output in Economics is the total value of all of the goods and services produced in an entity's economy The standard of living refers to the quality and quantity of goods and services available to people and the way these goods and services are distributed within a population Sao Paulo Stock Exchangejpg|thumb| Virtual market arena where buyer and seller are not present and trade via intemediates and electronical information The field of finance refers to the concepts of Time, Money and Risk and how they are interrelated The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe, and includes modern day Spain, Portugal, Andorra Telefónica SA, (,,,,) is a Spanish telecommunication company. Repsol YPF SA, ( is an integrated Spanish oil and gas company with operations in 29 countries ^[3]

While Madrid possesses a modern infrastructure, it has preserved the look and feel of many of its historic neighborhoods and streets. Its landmarks include the huge Royal Palace of Madrid; the Teatro Real (Royal theatre) with its restored 1850 Opera House; the Buen Retiro park, founded in 1631; the imposing 19th-century National Library building (founded in 1712) containing some of Spain's historical archives; an archaeological museum of international reputation; and three superb art museums: Prado Museum, which hosts one of the finest art collections in the world, the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, a museum of modern art, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, housed in the renovated Villahermosa Palace. The Teatro Real (literally Royal Theater) or simply The Real (as it is known colloquialy is an Opera house in Madrid. Location The main park of Madrid, Spain, the Jardines del Buen Retiro or Parque del Buen Retiro (literally " Gardens " The Biblioteca Nacional de España ('National Library of Spain' is a major Public library, the largest in Spain The National Archaeological Museum ( Museo Arqueológico Nacional) of Spain is in Madrid, beside the Plaza de Colón ( Columbus Square The Museo del Prado is a Museum and Art gallery located in Madrid, the capital of Spain. The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (MNCARS is the official name of Spain 's national Museum of 20th century Art (informally shortened to The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, or in Spanish Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, is an Art gallery in Villahermosa, near the Prado Museum in ^[4]

The population of the city is roughly 3. 2 million (December 2005), while the estimated urban area population is 5. 1 million. The entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area (urban area and suburbs) is calculated to be 5. A metropolitan area is a large population center consisting of a large Metropolis and its adjacent zone of influence or of more than one closely adjoining neighboring central 84 million. The city spans a total of 607 km² (234 sq mi). The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. ^[5]

Names of the city and origin of the current name

Royal Palace of Madrid

Monument to Alfonso XII at the Parque del Retiro

Metrópolis Building

There are several theories regarding the origin of the name "Madrid". Location The main park of Madrid, Spain, the Jardines del Buen Retiro or Parque del Buen Retiro (literally " Gardens " According to legend Madrid was founded by Ocno Bianor (son of King Tyrrhenius of Tuscany and Mantua) and was named "Metragirta" or "Mantua Carpetana". Tuscany (Toscana is a region in Italy. It has an area of 22990 km² and a population of about 3 Mantua (Màntova in the local dialect of Lombard language Mantua is a city in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province of the Others contend that the original name of the city was "Ursaria" ("land of bears" in Latin), due to the high number of these animals that were found in the adjacent forests, which, together with the strawberry tree ("madroño" in Spanish), have been the emblem of the city from the Middle Ages. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. The Strawberry Tree ( Arbutus unedo L is an Evergreen Shrub or small Tree in the family Ericaceae, native to the ^[6]

Nevertheless,it is now commonly believed that the origin of the current name of the city comes from the 2nd century B. C. , the Roman Empire established a settlement on the banks of the Manzanares river. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial The Manzanares is a River in central Spain, which at one point passes through Madrid. The name of this first village was "Matrice" (a reference to the river that crossed the settlement). Following the invasions of the Sueves, Vandals and Alans during the fifth century A.D., the Roman Empire could not defend its territories on the Iberian Peninsula, and were therefore overrun by the Visigoths. The Suebi or Suevi (from Proto-Germanic * swēbaz based on the Proto-Germanic root * swē- meaning "one's own" The Alans or Alani (occasionally but more rarely termed Alauni or Halani) were an Iranian nomadic group among the Sarmatian people The Visigoths (Visigothi, Wisigothi, Vesi, Visi, Wesi, or Wisi were one of two main branches of the Goths, an East The barbarian tribes subsequently took control of "Matrice". In the 7th century the Islamic conquest of the Iberian Peninsula saw the name changed to "Mayrit", from the Arabic term "Mayra" (referencing water as a "trees" or "giver of life") and the Ibero-Roman suffix "it" that means "place". The initial Arab Muslim conquests (632–732 (فتح Fatah, literally opening, also referred to as the Islamic conquests or Arab Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language The modern "Madrid" evolved from the Mozarabic "Matrit", which is still in the Madrilenian gentilic. Mozarabic was a continuum of closely related Romance dialects spoken in Muslim dominated areas of the Iberian Peninsula during the early stages of the A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place ^[7]

History

Main article: History of Madrid

Middle Ages

Although the site of modern-day Madrid has been occupied since pre-historic times,^[8] in the Roman era this territory belonged to the diocese of Complutum (present-day Alcalá de Henares). Although the site of modern-day Madrid has been occupied since prehistoric times and there are archeological remains of a small Visigoth village near the modern location the In many rites of the Roman Catholic Church and in Anglican churches, a diocese is an administrative territorial unit administered by a Bishop. Alcalá de Henares, meaning Castle on the river Henares, is a Spanish city whose historical centre is one of UNESCO 's World Heritage The origins of the modern city come from the 9th century, when Muhammad I ordered the construction of a small palace in the same place that is today occupied by the Palacio Real. The 9th century is the period from 801 to 900 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. Muhammad I (محمد بن عبد الرحمن الأوسط was the Umayyad Emir of Córdoba from 852 &ndash 886 in the Al-Andalus A palace is a grand residence especially the home of a Head of state or some other high-ranking Public figure. Around this palace a small citadel, al-Mudaina, was built. A citadel is a fortress for protecting a Town, sometimes incorporating a Castle. Near that palace was the Manzanares, which the Muslims called al-Majrīṭ (Arabic: المجريط, "source of water"). The Manzanares is a River in central Spain, which at one point passes through Madrid. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language From this came the naming of the site as Majerit, which later evolved into the modern-day spelling of Madrid. The citadel was conquered in 1085 by Alfonso VI of Castile in his advance towards Toledo. Alfonso VI (before June 1040 &ndash June 29 / July 1, 1109) nicknamed the Brave, was King of León from 1065 to 1109 and King of Toledo Spain locationpng|thumb|right|200px|Location of Toledo in Spain He reconsecrated the mosque as the church of the Virgin of Almudena (almudin, the garrison's granary). A "mosque" in English refers to all types of buildings dedicated for Islamic worship although there is a distinction in Arabic between the smaller privately owned mosque and the larger Garrison (various spellings (from the French garnison, itself from the verb garnir, "to equip" is the collective term for a body of Troops A granary is a storehouse for threshed grain or Animal feed. In ancient or primitive granaries Pottery is the most In 1329, the Cortes Generales first assembled in the city to advise Alfonso XI of Castile. The Cortes Generales ( Spanish for General Courts or Cortes Españolas, Spanish Courts) is the Legislature of Spain. Alfonso XI of Castile (Salamanca August 13, 1311 &ndash Gibraltar March 26/27 1350 was the king of Castile and León, the son of Sephardi Jews and Moors continued to live in the city until they were expelled at the end of the 15th century. Sephardi Jews ( Hebrew: ספרדי, Standard Səfardi Tiberian Səp̄arədî; plural The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of Muslim (and earlier non-Muslim people of Berber and Arab descent ^[6] After troubles and a large fire, Henry III of Castile (1379–1406) rebuilt the city and established himself safely fortified outside its walls in El Pardo. Henry III ( October 4, 1379 –1406 sometimes known as Henry the Sufferer or Henry the Infirm (Enrique el Doliente was the son of John The grand entry of Ferdinand and Isabella to Madrid heralded the end of strife between Castile and Aragon. The Catholic Monarchs (los Reyes Católicos is the collective title used in history for Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon The Crown of Castile, as a historic entity is usually considered to have begun in 1230 with the third and definitive union of the two kingdoms of León and Castile The Crown of Aragon was a permanent union of multiple titles and states in the hands of the King of Aragon. ^[6]

Renaissance

The Kingdom of Castile, with its capital at Toledo, and the Crown of Aragon, with its capital at Zaragoza, were welded into modern Spain by the Catholic Monarchs (Queen Isabella of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon). Kingdom of Castile was one of the medieval kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula. Toledo Spain locationpng|thumb|right|200px|Location of Toledo in Spain The Crown of Aragon was a permanent union of multiple titles and states in the hands of the King of Aragon. Zaragoza, also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza province and of the autonomous community and former The Catholic Monarchs (los Reyes Católicos is the collective title used in history for Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon Ferdinand II of Aragon the Catholic (Fernando II de Aragón y V de Castilla "el Católico" Ferran II d'Aragó "el Catòlic" Ferrando II d'Aragón ^[6]

Though their grandson Charles I of Spain (also known as Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor) favoured Seville, it was Charles' son, Philip II (1527–1598) who moved the court to Madrid in 1561. Charles V (24 February 1500 &ndash 21 September 1558 was Charles V (24 February 1500 &ndash 21 September 1558 was Philip II (Felipe II de España Filipe I ( May 21, 1527 &ndash September 13 1598) was King of Spain from 1556 until 1598 Although he made no official declaration, the seat of the court was the de facto capital. Seville continued to control commerce with Spain's colonies, but Madrid controlled Seville. Seville ( Spanish: Sevilla, see also different names) is the artistic cultural and financial capital of southern Spain. ^[9]

Aside from a brief period, 1601-1606, when Felipe III installed his court in Valladolid, Madrid's fortunes have closely mirrored those of Spain. after he farted he ate chicken and farted some more Philip III (Felipe III April 14, 1578 &ndash March 31, 1621) was the King ||-||} is an industrial city and it is a Municipality in north-central Spain, upon the Pisuerga River and within the Ribera del Duero wine-making region During the Siglo de Oro (Golden Century), in the 16th/17th century, Madrid bore little resemblance to other European capitals, as the population of the city was economically dependent on the business of the court itself, and there was no other significant activity. This article is about the Spanish Golden Age of the 15th-17th centuries ^[9]

From 19th century to present day

Petit Palace Alcalá Torre Hotel.

Puerta de Europa. The Puerta de Europa towers ( Gate of Europe or Europe's Gate or just Torres KIO) are two twin office buildings in Madrid.

In the late 1800s, Isabel II could not suppress the political tension that would lead to yet another revolt, the First Spanish Republic. The First Spanish Republic started with the Abdication as King of Spain on February 10 1873, of Amadeo I, following the Hidalgo This was later followed by the return of the monarchy to Madrid, then the creation of the Second Spanish Republic, preceding the Spanish Civil War. The Second Spanish Republic was the system of government in Spain between April 14 1931, when King Alfonso XIII left the country The Spanish Civil War was a major conflict in Spain that started after an attempted Coup d'état committed by parts of the army against the government of ^[9]

Madrid was one of the most heavily affected cities of Spain by the Civil War (1936–1939). The city was a stronghold of the Republicans from July 1936. Its western suburbs were the scene of an all-out battle in November 1936 and it was during the Civil War that Madrid became the first city to be bombed by airplanes specifically targeting civilians in the history of warfare. (See Siege of Madrid (1936-39)). The Siege of Madrid was a three year Siege of the Spanish capital Madrid, during the Spanish Civil War of 1936-1939 ^[9]

During the dictatorship of Francisco Franco, especially during the 1960s, the south of Madrid became very industrialized and there were massive migrations from rural areas of Spain into the city. A dictatorship is usually defined as an autocratic Form of government in which the Government is ruled by a Dictator. Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco y Bahamonde (born December 4, 1892 in Ferrol, died November 20, 1975 in Madrid Human migration denotes any movement by Humans from one locality to another sometimes over long distances or Madrid's south-eastern periphery became an extensive working class settlement, which was the base for an active cultural and political reform. ^[9]

After the death of Franco, emerging democratic parties (including those of left-wing and republican ideology) accepted Franco's wishes of being succeeded by Juan Carlos I - in order to secure stability and democracy. Early life Juan Carlos was born in Rome, where his grandfather Alfonso XIII of Spain lived in exile after the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic This led Spain to its current position as a constitutional monarchy, with Madrid as capital. ^[9]

Benefiting from increasing prosperity in the 1980s and 1990's, the capital city of Spain has consolidated its position as the first economic, cultural, industrial, educational, and technological center on the Iberian peninsula. The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe, and includes modern day Spain, Portugal, Andorra ^[9]

Nowadays Madrid shows itself as an open city proud of its economical wealth and international respect and open to a new era of art and culture leadership in the Iberian peninsula

Geography

Topography and climate

The region of Madrid has a temperate Continental Mediterranean climate (Koppen Csa) with cool winters with temperatures that sometimes drop below 0 °C (32 °F). Continental Mediterranean climate is a variant of Mediterranean climate in the interior of the Iberian peninsula (the Meseta and the Ebro valley The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 There are about 2 to 3 snowfalls each year. Summer tends to be hot with temperatures that consistently surpass 30 °C (86 °F) in July and that can often reach 40 °C (104 °F). Due to Madrid's high altitude and dry climate, nightly temperatures tend to be cooler, leading to a lower average in the summer months. Precipitation levels are low, but precipitation can be observed all throughout the year. In Meteorology, precipitation (also known as one class of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric Summer and winter are the driest seasons, with most rainfall occurring in the autumn and spring. ^[10]

Water supply

Madrid derives almost 50 percent from dams and reservoirs built on the Lozoya River, such as the El Atazar Dam. A dam is a barrier that divides waters. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water while other structures such as Floodgates, Levees A reservoir is most broadly a place or hollow vessel where Fluid is kept in Reserve, for later use The Lozoya River is a river flowing near the centre of Spain. El Atazar Dam is an Arch dam built near Madrid, Spain on the Lozoya River, very close to where the Lozoya joins the Jarama.

Districts

Royal Palace of Madrid

Madrid is administratively divided into 21 districts, which are further subdivided into 128 wards (barrios):^[11]

1. Centro: Palacio, Embajadores, Cortes, Justicia, Universidad, Sol. Centro is the central district of the city of Madrid, Spain. It is approximately 523 km² in size
2. Arganzuela: Paseo Imperial, Acacias, Chopera, Legazpi, Delicias, Palos de la Frontera, Atocha. Palos de la Frontera or Palos, is a town and Municipality located in the southwestern Spanish province of Huelva, in the autonomous community
3. Retiro: Pacífico, Adelfas, Estrella, Ibiza, Jerónimos, Niño Jesús. Retiro is a district located at the southeast of the city centre of Madrid.
4. Salamanca: Recoletos, Goya, Fuente del Berro, Guindalera, Lista, Castellana. The district of Salamanca is one of the 21 districts that form the city of Madrid, Spain (as of 2005
5. Chamartín: El Viso, Prosperidad, Ciudad Jardín, Hispanoamérica, Nueva España, Pza. Chamartín is an administrative district of Madrid, Spain and consists of the following neighborhoods El Viso Prosperidad Ciudad Jardín Hispanoamérica Nueva Castilla.
6. Tetuán: Bellas Vistas, Cuatro Caminos, Castillejos, Almenara, Valdeacederas, Berruguete. Tétouan ( Arabic: تطوان (meaning eyes in the Berber language) also spelled Tetuan, sometimes Tettawen or Tettawan, is a city
7. Chamberi: Gaztambide, Arapiles, Trafalgar, Almagro, Vallehermoso, Ríos Rosas. Chamberí is a district in Madrid, Spain. Data Holidays in the District: 16 of July (Virgin of the Carmen * Area
8. Fuencarral-El Pardo: El Pardo, Fuentelarreina, Peñagrande, Barrio del Pilar, La Paz, Valverde, Mirasierra, El Goloso. Peñagrande is a neighborhood to the north of Madrid 's city centre in the district of Fuencarral-El Pardo.
9. Moncloa-Aravaca: Casa de Campo, Argüelles, Ciudad Universitaria, Valdezarza, Valdemarín, El Plantío, Aravaca. The Casa de Campo is a large urban Park situated west of central Madrid, ( Spain) Aravaca is a Barrio of the city of Madrid, in the Moncloa district
10. Latina: Los Cármenes, Puerta del Ángel, Lucero, Aluche, Las Águilas, Campamento, Cuatro Vientos. Latina is one of the districts of Madrid. Different of La Latina area in the district of Centro, its name comes from Beatriz Galindo La
11. Carabanchel: Comillas, Opañel, San Isidro, Vista Alegre, Puerta Bonita, Buenavista, Abrantes. Carabanchel is a Neighbourhood in the south western suburbs of Madrid, Spain.
12. Usera: Orcasitas, Orcasur, San Fermín, Almendrales, Moscardó, Zofio, Pradolongo.
13. Puente de Vallecas: Entrevías, San Diego, Palomeras Bajas, Palomeras Sureste, Portazgo, Numancia.
14. Moratalaz: Pavones, Horcajo, Marroquina, Media Legua, Fontarrón, Vinateros.
15. Ciudad Lineal: Ventas, Pueblo Nuevo, Quintana, La Concepción, San Pascual, San Juan Bautista, Colina, Atalaya, Costillares. Ciudad Lineal ( Linear city in English) is a district in Madrid ( Spain) Division It is divided in areas which are Atalaya
16. Hortaleza: Palomas, Valdefuentes, Canillas, Pinar del Rey, Apóstol Santiago, Piovera.
17. Villaverde: San Andrés, San Cristóbal, Butarque, Los Rosales, Los Ángeles (Villaverde). San Cristóbal de Los Ángeles is a neighborhood on the southern outskirts of Madrid, belonging to the Working-class district of Villaverde.
18. Villa de Vallecas: Casco Histórico de Vallecas, Santa Eugenia. Vallecas is a neighborhood of Madrid composed of two districts Puente de Vallecas (population 240917 and Villa de Vallecas (population 65162
19. Vicálvaro: Casco Histórico de Vicálvaro, Ambroz.
20. San Blas: Simancas, Hellín, Amposta, Arcos, Rosas, Rejas, Canillejas, Salvador. San Blas is a district at the east of Madrid 's city centre administratively organized in the neighborhoods of Simancas, Hellín, Amposta, Canillejas is a suburb of Madrid, lying to the east of the city
21. Barajas: Alameda de Osuna, Aeropuerto, Casco Histórico de Barajas, Timón, Corralejos.

Architecture

Calle de Alcalá

Catedral de la Almudena

Palacio de Comunicaciones

The Cuatro Torres Business Area in February 2008

Palacio de Cristal, on the grounds of the Parque del Buen Retiro

Atocha Railway Station

Palace Hotel

Banco Español de Crédito

Although the site of Madrid has been occupied since prehistoric times, the first historical data we have from the city is from the middle of the ninth Century, when Mohamed I ordered the construction of a small palace (site occupied now by the Palacio Real). CTBA short for Cuatro Torres Business Area ( Spanish for Four Towers Business Area) is a Business park currently under construction Location The main park of Madrid, Spain, the Jardines del Buen Retiro or Parque del Buen Retiro (literally " Gardens " Around this palace there was built a small citadel (al-Mudaina). The palace was built overlooking the River Manzanares, which the muslims called Mayrit meaning source of water (which in turn became Magerit, and then eventually Madrid). The citadel was conquered in 1085 by Alfonso VI in his advance towards Toledo. He reconsecrated the mosque as the church of the Virgin of Almudena (almudin, the garrison's granary), now the Catedral de la Almudena. In 1329 the Cortes first assembled in Madrid to advise Fernando IV. Jews and Moors continued to live in the city in their quarter, still known today as the "Moreria", until they were expelled. The Royal Palace of Madrid and the buildings and monuments of the Paseo del Prado (Salón del Prado and Alcalá Gate) deserve special mention. The Paseo del Prado is one of the main Boulevards in Madrid, Spain. They were constructed in a sober Baroque international style, often mistaken for neoclassical, by the Bourbon kings Philip V and Charles III. Baroque art redirects here Please disambiguate such links to Baroque painting, Baroque sculpture, etc Philip V may refer to Philip V of Macedon (221–179 BC Philip V of France (1293–1322 Philip II of Spain Charles III may refer to Charles the Fat, Charles III Holy Roman Emperor (832–888 Charles the Simple, Charles III of France (879–929 The royal palaces of La Granja de San Ildefonso (in Segovia province) and Aranjuez (south of Madrid), are good examples of baroque integration of architecture and gardening. They have a noticeable French influence (La Granja is known as the "Spanish Versailles"), but with local spatial conceptions which in some ways display the heritage of the Moorish occupation.

Plans for the construction of a new cathedral for Madrid dedicated to the Virgin of Almudena began in the 16th century, but the slow construction did not begin until 1879. Year 1879 ( MDCCCLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Francisco de Cubas, the Marquis of Cubas, was the architect who designed and directed the construction in a Gothic revival style. The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement which began Construction ceased completely during the Spanish Civil War. The Spanish Civil War was a major conflict in Spain that started after an attempted Coup d'état committed by parts of the army against the government of The project was abandoned until 1950, when Fernando Chueca Goitia adapted the plans of de Cubas to a neoclassical style exterior to match the grey and white façade of the Palacio Real, which stands directly opposite. Neoclassicism (sometimes rendered as Neo-Classicism or Neo-classicism) is the name given to quite distinct movements in the decorative and and was not completed until 1993, when the cathedral was consecrated by Pope John Paul II. Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service usually religious Pope

The financial district in downtown Madrid between the streets Raimundo Fernández Villaverde, Orense, General Perón and Paseo de la Castellana Its original conception (and its name) to the "Plan General de Ordenación Urbana de Madrid", approved in 1946. Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The purpose of this plan was to create a huge block of modern office buildings with metro and railway connections in the expansion area of northern Madrid, just in front of Real Madrid stadium (currently named the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium) and beside the brand new government complex of Nuevos Ministerios. The Santiago Bernabéu is a football Stadium in Madrid, Spain. A botanical garden, a library and an opera house were also included in the plans, but these were never built. Cuatro Torres Business Area is a business park currently under construction. CTBA short for Cuatro Torres Business Area ( Spanish for Four Towers Business Area) is a Business park currently under construction A business park or business estate is an area of land in which many Office buildings are grouped together The area will contain the tallest skyscrapers in Madrid and Spain (Torre Espacio, Torre de Cristal, Torre Sacyr Vallehermoso and Torre Caja Madrid). A skyscraper is a tall continuously habitable Building. There is no official definition or a precise cutoff height above which a building may clearly be classified as a skyscraper The Torre Espacio ( Spanish for Space Tower) is a Skyscraper in Madrid, Spain. Torre de Cristal ( Spanish for Crystal Tower) is a Skyscraper in the Cuatro Torres Business Area in Madrid ( Torre Sacyr Vallehermoso is a 52-floor 236 meter (774 foot tall Skyscraper, that will be completed in 2008, located in Madrid, Spain. Torre Repsol redirects here For the building in Buenos Aires ( Argentina) see Repsol-YPF tower. The buildings are expected to be finished by 2008/2009. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common This article is about the year For the film see 2009 Lost Memories.

Madrid Barajas International Airport Terminal 4, designed by Antonio Lamela and Richard Rogers (winning them the 2006 Stirling Prize), and TPS Engineers, (winning them the 2006 IStructE Award for Commercial Structures) was inaugurated on February 5, 2006. Madrid-Barajas Airport (Aeropuerto de Madrid-Barajas is the main international airport serving the Spanish capital Madrid. Richard George Rogers Baron Rogers of Riverside, CH, FRIBA (born 23 July 1933) is a British Architect noted The Royal Institute of British Architects Stirling Prize is a British prize for excellence in Architecture. The Institution of Structural Engineers ' Structural Awards have been awarded for the Structural design of buildings and infrastructure since 1968 Events 1576 - Henry of Navarre converts to Roman Catholicism in order to ensure his right to the throne of France. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Terminal 4 is one of the world's largest terminal area, with an area of 760,000 square meters (8,180,572 square feet) in two separate terminals. M^2 redirects here For other uses see M². CM2 redirects here The square foot is an Imperial unit / US customary unit (non- SI non- metric) of Area, used mainly in the United States Consisting of a main building, T4 (470,000 square meter), and satellite building, T4S (290,000 square meter), which are separated by approximately 2. M^2 redirects here For other uses see M². CM2 redirects here M^2 redirects here For other uses see M². CM2 redirects here 5 km. Hong Kong International Airport still holds the title for the world's largest single terminal building (Terminal 1) at 570,000 square meter. Hong Kong International Airport is the main airport in Hong Kong. The new Terminal 4 is meant to give passengers a stress-free start to their journey. This is managed through careful use of illumination, available by glass panes instead of walls and numerous domes in the roof which allow natural light to pass through. With the new addition, Barajas is designed to handle 70 million passengers annually.

Environment

Madrid is full of green spaces and parkland, in central Madrid the largest park is Parque del Retiro, spreading out to the north-east of Atocha Railway station, which receives the high- speed AVE trains from the south and east as well as Cordoba and Seville. Location The main park of Madrid, Spain, the Jardines del Buen Retiro or Parque del Buen Retiro (literally " Gardens "

Parque del Retiro, formerly the grounds of the palace built for Felipe IV, is Madrid’s most popular park. Philip IV (es ''Felipe IV'' pt ''Filipe III'' ( 8 April, 1605 &ndash 17 September, 1665) was King of Spain between 1621 and Its large lake in the middle once staged mini naval battles to amuse royalty, these days the more tranquil pastime of pleasure boating is popular. Inspired by London’s crystal palace, the palacio de cristal can be found at the south-eastern end of the park.

In the Retiro Park is also the Forest of the Departed (Spanish Bosque de los Ausentes), a memorial monument to commemorate the 191 victims of the 11 March 2004 Madrid attacks. The Forest of the Departed (Bosque de los Ausentes is a memorial monument located at the park of El Retiro in Madrid that commemorates the 191 victims of the

Atocha Railway Station is not only the city’s first and most central station but also home to a distinctive indoor garden with 4,000 square meters of tropical plants. Atocha station has become a hothouse destination in itself for plant lovers, with more than 500 species of plant life and ponds with turtle and goldfish in, as well as shops and cafes. It's a nice place to visit on a cold or wet day with its even temperature of 24 degrees Celsius, or even on a scorching summer day as a retreat from the heat.

Casa de Campo is an enormous rural parkland to the west of the city, the largest of all Madrid’s green areas. It’s home to a fairground, zoo and an outdoor municipal pool, to enjoy a bird’s eye view of the park and city take a cable car trip above the tree tops.

The Botanic Garden or Real Jardin Botanico was an 18th century creation by Carlos III, it was used as a base for the plant species being collected across the globe. There is an important research facility that started life as a base to develop herbal remedies and to house the species collected from the new-world trips, today it is dedicated to maintaining Europe’s ecosystem.

The pioneering ecological theme park Faunia, is a natural history museum and zoo combined, aimed at being fun and educational for children. It comprises eight eco-systems from tropical rain forests to polar regions, and contains over 1,500 animals, some of which roam freely

Economy

Economy from Middle Ages to 20th century

In the Middle Ages, the village experienced a big development as a consequence of the establishment of the new capital of the Spanish Empire in Madrid. The Spanish Empire (Imperio Español was one of the largest Empires in history and one of the first Global empires In the 15th and 16th centuries The administrative functions that it held since then, as well as the centralist character of the government found by the house of Bourbon ("Casa de Borbón" in Spanish) triggered the development of artisan activity, that turned into industrial since the middle of the 19th century, having its major expansion during the 20th century, especially after the Spanish Civil War, but never reaching levels of industrialization in other European capital cities. The House of Bourbon is an important European Royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty. An artisan, also called a Craftsman, is a skilled manual worker who crafts items that may be functional or strictly decorative including furniture clothing The Spanish Civil War was a major conflict in Spain that started after an attempted Coup d'état committed by parts of the army against the government of The economy of the city was then centered on diverse manufacturing industries such as those related to motor vehicles, aircraft, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, processed food, printed materials, and leather goods^[12]

Economy from 1992 to 2006

Partial panoramic view of the northernmost part of Madrid. In the image, the new Terminal 4 of Barajas Airport, with the skyline of the Cuatro Torres Business Area in the background. Madrid-Barajas Airport (Aeropuerto de Madrid-Barajas is the main international airport serving the Spanish capital Madrid. CTBA short for Cuatro Torres Business Area ( Spanish for Four Towers Business Area) is a Business park currently under construction

Madrid is a major centre for international business and commerce. It is one of the largest centres for finance in Europe and the largest in Spain.

During the period from 1992 to 2006, Madrid experienced a very significant growth in its tertiary activities. In this sense, the importance of the Barajas Airport for the city's economy is remarkable, adding to the administrative and financial functions associated with being the capital of Spain. Madrid-Barajas Airport (Aeropuerto de Madrid-Barajas is the main international airport serving the Spanish capital Madrid. Construction (housing and public works such as the ring structure of roads and trains system) has constituted a major pillar of the economy up to 2006.

Nevertheless, regarding the city's economic environment, it has also been stated that despite the growth of the economy of the country as a whole has been moderated compared to the last two quarters, the economy of the Autonomous Region of Madrid continued to grow in the second quarter of the year, above the rate for Spain as a whole, and for the EMU, reaching a year-on-year increase of 4. In economics a Monetary union is a situation where several countries have agreed to share a single currency amongst themselves 2%. The growth outlook for the city of Madrid points to a year-on-year increase of 4. 0% in 2006^[13] which makes Madrid one of the most dynamic and thriving cities in the European Union. ^[14]

Demographics

The population of Madrid has been generally increasing ever since the city became the national capital several hundred years ago.

From around 1970 until the mid 1990s, the city's population dropped (see chart). This phenomenon, which also affected Barcelona and other European cities, was caused in part by the growth of satellite suburbs at the expense of the downtown. Another reason might have been the slowdown in the rate of growth of the European economy.

The demographic boom accelerated in the late 1990s and early 2000s due to international immigration, in response to a strong pick-up in Spanish economic growth. Population growth is the change in Population over time and can be quantified as the change in the number of individuals in a population using "per unit time" for For example, according to census data, the population of the city grew by 271,856 between 2001 and 2005. ^[15][16]

As the capital city of Spain, the city has attracted many immigrants from around the world. While more than 83. 8% of the inhabitants are Spaniards, there are many recent immigrants who come from Latin America, Europe, Asia, North Africa and West Africa representing 16. North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan West Africa or Western Africa is the Westernmost Region of the African Continent. 2% as of 2007. ^[17]

The largest immigrant groups include: Ecuadorian: 104,184, Romanian: 52,875, Colombian: 35,971, Peruvian: 34,083, Chinese: 21,666, and Moroccan: 12,498. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Ecuador topics. Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America. Han Chinese ( are an Ethnic group native to China and by most modern definitions the largest single Ethnic group in the world. Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa There are also important communities of Guinean, Bolivian and Filipino people. Guinea, officially Republic of Guinea (pronounced /ˈgɪni/ République de Guinée is a country in West Africa, formerly known as French Guinea The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. Filipinos or the Filipino people are the citizens of the Philippines. ^[18]

Government

Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón

Main article: List of districts of Madrid

See also: List of mayors of Madrid

The new democracy heralded a successful movement towards increased autonomy for the regions of Spain, considered as autonomous regions, under the umbrella of Spain. Administrative divisions Districts Madrid is administratively divided into 21 districts which are further subdivided into 128 wards ( barrios) This is a list of mayors ( alcaldes) of Madrid since 1800 José Urbina, 1803 - 1805 José de Marquina Galindo An autonomous area is an area of a Country that has a degree of Autonomy, or freedom from an external authority An autonomous community is a first-level political division of the Kingdom of Spain, established in accordance with the Spanish Constitution.

The Municipal Corporation consists of 55 Concejales (councillors), one of them being the Alcalde (Mayor)- currently Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón Jiménez. Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón Jiménez (born December 11 1958 is a Spanish politician and current mayor of Madrid.

The Plenary session, integrated by the Mayor and the Councillors, is the organ of political representation of the citizens in the municipal government. Some of its attributions are: fiscal matters, the election and destitution of the Mayor, the approval and modification of decrees and regulations, the approval of budgets, the agreements related to the limits and alteration of the municipal term, the services management, the participation in supramunicipal organizations, etc. ^[19]

Madrid has tended to be a stronghold of the People's Party, which has controlled the city's mayoralty since 1989. The People's Party ( Spanish: Partido Popular, PP) is the main right Political party in Spain.

Culture

Madrid is one of Spain's most popular destinations and is renowned for its large quantity of cultural attractions.

Galleries

Madrid is considered one of the top European destinations concerning art museums. Best known is the Golden Triangle of Art, located along the Paseo del Prado and comprising three museums. The Paseo del Prado is one of the main Boulevards in Madrid, Spain. The most famous one is the Prado Museum, the most popular Golden Triangle of Art member known for such highlights as Diego Velázquez's Las Meninas and Francisco de Goya's La maja vestida and La maja desnuda. The Museo del Prado is a Museum and Art gallery located in Madrid, the capital of Spain. Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez ( June 6, 1599 &ndash August 6, 1660) was a Spanish painter who was the leading Las Meninas ( Spanish for The Maids of Honour) is a 1656 painting by Diego Velázquez (1599–1660 the leading artist of the La maja vestida is a painting by Spanish painter Francisco de Goya between 1798 and 1805 La maja desnuda ("The Nude maja " is an Oil painting on canvas by the master Spanish painter Francisco de Goya The other two museums are the Thyssen Bornemisza Museum, established from a mixed private collection, and the Reina Sofia Museum. The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, or in Spanish Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, is an Art gallery in Villahermosa, near the Prado Museum in The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (MNCARS is the official name of Spain 's national Museum of 20th century Art (informally shortened to This is where Pablo Picasso's Guernica hangs, returning to Spain from New York after more than two decades

Museo del Prado, the world's largest collection of paintings. Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Martyr Patricio Clito Ruíz y Picasso (October 25 1881 &ndash April 8 1973 Guernica is a monumental Painting by Pablo Picasso, depicting the Nazi German Bombing of Guernica, Spain by twenty-eight The Museo del Prado is a Museum and Art gallery located in Madrid, the capital of Spain.

Museo Reina Sofía. The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (MNCARS is the official name of Spain 's national Museum of 20th century Art (informally shortened to

Museo Thyssen.

Museums

• Museo del Prado (El Prado Museum)
• National Archaeological Museum of Spain
• Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía
• Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza
• Museum of the Americas
• Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando
• Naval Museum
• Casa-Museo José Padilla *
• Casa-Museo Manuel Benedito *
• Museo de Antropologia Médica *
• Museo De La Farmacia Hispana *
• Museo Del Reloj Grassy *
• Museo Lazaro Galdiano *

Art and literature study centers

• Casa Encendida
• Escuela de Cine y Televisión de Madrid, Septima Ars
• Escuela de Escritores. The Museo del Prado is a Museum and Art gallery located in Madrid, the capital of Spain. The National Archaeological Museum ( Museo Arqueológico Nacional) of Spain is in Madrid, beside the Plaza de Colón ( Columbus Square The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (MNCARS is the official name of Spain 's national Museum of 20th century Art (informally shortened to The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, or in Spanish Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, is an Art gallery in Villahermosa, near the Prado Museum in The Museum of the Americas ( Spanish: Museo de América) in Madrid ( Spain) is a National museum that holds artistic archaeological and ethnographic The Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, located on the Calle de Alcalá in the heart of Madrid, currently functions as a museum and gallery
• Escuela de Letras.
• Escuela Contemporánea de Humanidades.
• Hotel Kafka.
• I|Art.
• TAI, Escuela de Artes y Espectáculos.
• Talleres de escritura creativa y Ediciones Fuentetaja.

Classical Music and Opera

• The Spanish National Orchestra performs every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Auditorio Nacional de Musica. The Orquesta Nacional de España (Spanish National Orchestra isthe largest symphonic orchestra in Madrid.
• The RTVE Symphony Orchestra performs on Thursdays and Fridays at the Teatro Monumental. The RTVE Symphony Orchestra ( Orquesta Sinfónica de RadioTelevisiónEspañola or Orquesta Sinfónica de Radio Televisión Española) also known as the Spanish
• Teatro Real is the main Opera House. The Teatro Real (literally Royal Theater) or simply The Real (as it is known colloquialy is an Opera house in Madrid. An opera house is a theater building used for Opera performances that consists of a stage an orchestra pit audience seating and backstage facilities for costumes
• Teatro de la Zarzuela is devoted mainly to Zarzuela and Operetta. Zarzuela (θarˈθwela in Spain in Latin America is a Spanish lyric-dramatic genre that alternates between spoken and sung scenes the latter incorporating Operatic Operetta is a genre of light Opera, light in terms both of music and subject matter
• Other Orchestras and ensembles in Madrid: Orquesta Sinfonica de Madrid, Orquesta Sinfonica de la Comunidad de Madrid, Orquesta de Camara Reina Sofia.

City attractions

Madrid view from Faro de Moncloa

The clock tower at Puerta del Sol, the heart of the city. The Puerta del Sol (Spanish for "Gate of the Sun" is one of the most well known and busiest places in Madrid. At the foot of the building lies the Km 0 sign, the center of the Spanish radial road system. In many countries Kilometre Zero (also written km 0) or similar terms in other languages is a particular location (often in the nation's capital city from which distances Since 1909, the Spaniards traditionally eat twelve grapes on each New Year's midnight at the strikes of this bell. The Twelve Grapes ( Sp. Las doce uvas de la suerte, "The twelve grapes of luck" is a Spanish tradition since 1909

• Plaza Mayor
• Barrio de La Latina
• Gran Via
• Descalzas Reales
• Casón del Buen Retiro
• Palacio Real
• Templo de Debod
• El Rastro
• Puerta del Sol
• Parque del Buen Retiro
• Las Ventas
• Torre España
• Faro de Moncloa
• Puerta de Europa
• Puerta de Alcalá
• Azca
• ctba
• Glorieta de Bilbao
• Estadio Santiago Bernabéu
• Estadio Vicente Calderón
• Parque de Atracciones de Madrid
• Plaza de Cibeles
• Plaza de Neptuno
• Palacio De Liria
• Teatro Real
• Auditorio Nacional de Musica
• Teatro Monumental
• Teatro de la Zarzuela
• Centro Cultural de la Villa
• Teatro de la Abadía
• Círculo de Bellas Artes
• Teatro Español
• Teatro de la Comedia
• Café Central

Other nearby towns are popular as day trips from Madrid, including Toledo, Segovia, Ávila, Aranjuez, Alcalá de Henares, the monastery and palace complex of El Escorial, the former summer home of the royal family at Aranjuez, El Atazar Dam, El Pardo and Chinchón. The Plaza Mayor built during the Habsburg period is a central Plaza in the city of Madrid, Spain. Gran Vía (literally "Great Way" is an ornate and upscale shopping street located in central Madrid. The Temple of Debod is an ancient Egyptian Temple which was rebuilt in Madrid, Spain. El Rastro de Madrid or simply el Rastro is the most popular open air Flea market in Madrid ( Spain) The Puerta del Sol (Spanish for "Gate of the Sun" is one of the most well known and busiest places in Madrid. Location The main park of Madrid, Spain, the Jardines del Buen Retiro or Parque del Buen Retiro (literally " Gardens " The Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas is a famous Bullring in Madrid ( Spain) The Faro de Moncloa is a 100 meters high transmission tower with an observation deck at the Plaza De Moncloa Madrid, Spain. The Puerta de Europa towers ( Gate of Europe or Europe's Gate or just Torres KIO) are two twin office buildings in Madrid. The Puerta de Alcalá ("Alcalá Gate" is a monument in the Plaza de la Independencia ("Independence Square" in Madrid, Spain, very close to the Acronym for Asociación Mixta de Compensación de la Manzana A de la Zona Comercial de la Avenida del Generalísimo ("Mixed Association for Compensation of the A Block of Glorieta de Bilbao is a star shaped Roundabout located in Madrid, Spain; named after the city of Bilbao. The Santiago Bernabéu is a football Stadium in Madrid, Spain. The Vicente Calderón Stadium (Estadio Vicente Calderón in Madrid, is the home Stadium of Atlético Madrid football club The Plaza de Cibeles is an attractive square featuring a famous sculpture with fountains that have been adopted as a symbol for the city of Madrid. The Teatro Real (literally Royal Theater) or simply The Real (as it is known colloquialy is an Opera house in Madrid. Toledo Spain locationpng|thumb|right|200px|Location of Toledo in Spain Segovia is a city in Spain, the capital of the province of Segovia in Castile-Leon. This article is about the Spanish city For other uses see Avila Ávila de los Caballeros ( Latin: Abila and Óbila Population 2002 40928 2004 46891 2005 48139 May 2007 52873 Government Alcalá de Henares, meaning Castle on the river Henares, is a Spanish city whose historical centre is one of UNESCO 's World Heritage El Escorial is one of the Spanish royal sites and functions as a monastery royal palace museum and school Population 2002 40928 2004 46891 2005 48139 May 2007 52873 Government El Atazar Dam is an Arch dam built near Madrid, Spain on the Lozoya River, very close to where the Lozoya joins the Jarama. Chinchón is a Spanish town 50 km southeast of Madrid. It is part of the Comarca de Las Vegas.

Nightlife

Madrid's emblem: el oso y el madroño, a favorite meeting place at Puerta del Sol

Madrid is notable for its nightlife and night clubs. The Puerta del Sol (Spanish for "Gate of the Sun" is one of the most well known and busiest places in Madrid. On weekends, Madrilenian youth are famous for dancing all night long, stopping only to have some chocolate con churros at dawn, go home, take a shower, shave (or not), and go to work. Churros are fried-dough Pastry -based snacks, sometimes made from potato dough originated in Spain, and is popular in Latin America What is also popular is the practice of meeting in parks or streets with friends and drinking alcohol together (this is called 'botellón', from 'botella', bottle), but in recent years, drinking in the street is punished with a fine and now young madrileños drink together all around the city instead of in more well known places. Many places host bands (concerts in Madrid^[20]). Nightlife and young cultural awakening flourished after the death of Franco, especially during the 80s while Madrid's mayor Enrique Tierno Galván was in office. Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco y Bahamonde (born December 4, 1892 in Ferrol, died November 20, 1975 in Madrid This new movement was called la movida and it initially gathered around Plaza del Dos de Mayo (Malasaña area). La Movida Madrileña ( English: The Madrilenian groove) was a sociocultural movement that took place in Madrid during the first ten years after the Some of the most popular night destinations include the neighbourhoods of: Bilbao, Tribunal, Alonso Martinez or Moncloa, together with Puerta del Sol area (including Opera and Gran Via, both adjacent to the popular square) and Huertas (barrio de Las Letras), destinations which are also filled with tourists day and night. The gay district of Chueca has also become a hot spot in the Madrilenian night life, not only for gay people but also for straight people looking for fun in their crowded clubs and popular discos. Chueca is a neighborhood in Madrid. It is located just to the north of the downtown core and old city centered around the Plaza de Chueca and Chueca metro station

Bullfighting

Madrid hosts the largest Plaza de Toros (bullring) in Spain, Las Ventas, established in 1929. The Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas is a famous Bullring in Madrid ( Spain) Las Ventas is considered by many to be the world center of bullfighting and has a seating capacity of almost 25,000. Madrid's bullfighting season begins in March and ends in October. Bullfights are held every day during the festivities of San Isidro (Madrid's patron saint) from the middle of March to the middle of June, and every Sunday, and public holiday, the rest of the season. "San Isidro Labrador" redirects here For the city in El Salvador see San Isidro Labrador Chalatenango. The style of the plaza is Neomudéjar. Mudéjar is the name given to the Moors or Muslims of Al-Andalus, who remained in Christian territory after the Reconquista but were Las Ventas also hosts music concerts and other events outside of the bullfighting season.

Local festivities

• May 15, San Isidro Labrador (Madrid's patron saint). Events 1252 - Pope Innocent IV issues the Papal bull Ad exstirpanda, which authorizes but also limits the
• June 13, San Antonio de la Florida. Events 1525 - Martin Luther marries Katharina von Bora, against the Celibacy rule decreed by the Roman Catholic Church for
• July 16-25, Virgen del Carmen festivities (Patron saint of the sea). Events 622 - The beginning of the Islamic calendar. 1054 - Three Roman legates fractured relations between the Western and Events 285 - Diocletian appoints Maximian as Caesar, co-ruler
• August 6-15, Virgen de la Paloma festivities (Madrid's patron saint)
• August 7, San Cayetano (Cascorro neighbourhood's patron saint). Events 1538 - Bogotá, Colombia, is founded by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada. Events 778 - The Battle of Roncevaux Pass, at which Roland is killed Events 322 BC - Battle of Crannon between Athens and Macedon following the death of Alexander the Great.
• August 10, San Lorenzo (Lavapiés neighbourhood's patron saint). Events 612 BC - Killing of Sinsharishkun, King of Assyrian Empire
• November 9, Virgen de la Almudena festivities (Madrid's patron saint). Events 694 - Egica, a king of the Visigoths of Hispania, accuses Jews of aiding Muslims sentencing all

Sports

Madrid is home to Real Madrid, the world's most successful football club in the 20th Century (according to FIFA),^[21][22] which plays in the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu. Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered The Primera División of the es Liga de Fútbol Profesional ( Professional Football League) commonly known as La Liga or The Santiago Bernabéu is a football Stadium in Madrid, Spain. Club Atlético de Madrid is a Spanish football club based in Madrid who play in the Primera División of La Liga. Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered The Primera División of the es Liga de Fútbol Profesional ( Professional Football League) commonly known as La Liga or The Vicente Calderón Stadium (Estadio Vicente Calderón in Madrid, is the home Stadium of Atlético Madrid football club Rayo Vallecano de Madrid, often abbreviated to Rayo, is a Spanish Segunda División football club based in Madrid, Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered Group 1 2008/09 season 2007/08 season 2006/07 season 2005/06 season Real Madrid is a Spanish professional Basketball team founded in 1932 as a division of the Real Madrid club Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m The ACB ( Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto) is the premier professional Basketball league in Spain. Palacio Vistalegre is an Indoor arena located in Madrid, Spain. Club Baloncesto Estudiantes is a Basketball team based in Madrid, Spain, which plays in the Spanish professional league organised by the ACB Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m The ACB ( Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto) is the premier professional Basketball league in Spain. Madrid Arena (also Telefónica Arena) is the name of a sports Arena located at Casa de Campo park in Madrid, Spain Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (French for International Federation of Association Football) The Santiago Bernabéu is a football Stadium in Madrid, Spain. Its supporters are referred to as vikingos, vikings, or, more commonly, merengues, meringues. Its hometown rival, Atlético Madrid, is also well supported in the city, and its supporters are called los sufridores, the sufferers. Club Atlético de Madrid is a Spanish football club based in Madrid who play in the Primera División of La Liga. The players are referred to as colchoneros, mattresses, in reference to the teams red & white jerseys having been determined by mattress material being the cheapest at the time of the club's formation. Madrid's contribution to the sport is further noticed by the fact that it hosted the 1982 FIFA World Cup final. The 1982 FIFA World Cup, the 12th staging of the World Cup was held in Spain from June 13 to July 11. Along with Barcelona, Glasgow, Lisbon and Istanbul, Madrid is one of five cities in Europe to contain two UEFA 5-star stadia: Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu and Atlético Madrid's Vicente Calderón both meet the criteria. Barcelona ( Catalan bəɾsəˈlonə Spanish baɾθeˈlona is the capital and most populous city of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia Glasgow (ˈglæzgoʊ is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom Lisbon (Lisboa liʒˈboɐ is the Capital and largest city of Portugal. Istanbul (historically Byzantium and later Constantinople; see the other Names of Istanbul) is the largest city of Turkey The Vicente Calderón Stadium (Estadio Vicente Calderón in Madrid, is the home Stadium of Atlético Madrid football club

The city is also host to two basketball teams in the Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto (ACB league), and the Circuito Permanente Del Jarama, a motorsport race circuit which formerly hosted the Formula One Spanish Grand Prix. Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m The ACB ( Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto) is the premier professional Basketball league in Spain. The Circuito Permanente del Jarama (Permanent circuit of Jarama is a 3 The Spanish Grand Prix ( Español Gran Premio de España, Català Gran Premi d'Espanya) is a Formula One

Historically, the city serves as the last stage of the Vuelta a España cyclist classic in the same way as Paris does in the Tour de France. The Vuelta a España ( English: Tour of Spain) is a three-week Road bicycle racing Stage race that is one of the three " Grand Tours Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city History See also:CategoryTour de France by year The dominant sports newspaper in France

Skiing is possible in the nearby mountains of the Sierra de Guadarrama, where the ski resorts of Valdesqui and Navacerrada are located. Snow skiing is a group of sports utilizing Skis as primary equipment The Sierra de Guadarrama (for Spanish: Guadarrama mountain range) is a mountain chain spanning half of the Sistema Central (a Mountain range A ski area is a developed recreational facility usually on a Mountain or large Hill, containing ski trails and vital supporting services Valdesquí is a Ski area situated near the town of Rascafría in the Sierra de Guadarrama near Madrid ( Spain)

The city bid for hosting the 1972 and 2012 Summer Olympics, which were lost to Munich and London respectively. The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an International Multi-sport event held in Munich, in what was Munich (München; Minga is the capital city of Bavaria, Germany. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Nevertheless, Madrid is currently bidding to host the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Education

Main article: Education in Spain

State Education in Spain is free and compulsory from 6 to 16 years. This article describes the framework of Education in Spain. The current education system is called LOGSE ( Ley de Ordenación General del Sistema Educativo) The current education system is called LOGSE (Ley de Ordenación General del Sistema Educativo). ^[23]

Levels

• From 3 to 6 years - Educación Infantil (Preparatory School)
• From 6 to 12 years - Educación Primaria (Primary School) Years, 1º, 2º, 3º, 4º, 5º and 6º
• From 12 to 16 years - Educación Secundaria Obligatoria (Compulsory Secondary School) Years, 1º, 2º, 3º, 4º
• From 16 to 17 years - Bachillerato (Post-Compulsory School), years 1º, 2º

Children from 3 to 5 years old in Spain have the option of attending the infantil (popularly known as prescolar) or Pre-school stage, which is non-compulsory and free for all students. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. It is regarded as an integral part of the education system with infantil classes in almost every primary school. There are some separate Colegios Infantiles or nursery schools.

Spanish students aged 6 to 16 undergo primary (Colegio) and secondary school (Instituto) education, which are compulsory and free of charge. See also Primary education A primary school (from French école primaire) is an institution where children receive the first stage of Compulsory Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational Institution where the final stage of compulsory schooling known as Secondary education, takes Successful students are awarded a Secondary Education Certificate, which is necessary for entering further (optional) education as is Bachillerato for their University or Formacion Professional (Vocational Studies). Once students have finished their Bachillerato, they can take their University Entrance Exam (Pruebas de Acceso a la Universidad, popularly called Selectividad) which differs greatly from region to region.

The secondary stage of education is normally referred to by their initials, eg. ESO or Educación Secundaria Obligatoria for secondary education.

Universities

Madrid is home to a large number of public and private universities. Some of them are among the oldest in the world.

Original building, Alcalá de Henares: The Complutense University was based here until 1836.

The Complutense University of Madrid is one of the most prestigious, and the largest, universities in Spain and one of the oldest universities in the world. It has 10,000 staff members and a student population of 117,000. Nearly all academic staff are Spanish. It is located on two campuses, in the university quarter Ciudad Universitaria at Moncloa in Madrid, and in Somosaguas. ^[24] The Complutense University of Madrid was founded in Alcala de Henares, old Complutum, by Cardinal Cisneros in 1499. Alcalá de Henares, meaning Castle on the river Henares, is a Spanish city whose historical centre is one of UNESCO 's World Heritage Nevertherless, its real origin dates back from 1293, when King Sancho IV of Castile built the General Schools of Alcalá, which would give rise to Cisnero's Complutense University. During the course of 1509-1510 five schools were already operative: Artes y Filosofía (Arts & Philosophy), Teología (Theology), Derecho Canónico (Canonical Laws), Letras (Liberal Arts) and Medicina (Medicine). In 1836, during the reign of Isabel II, the University was moved to Madrid, where it took the name of Central University and was located at San Bernardo Street. Subsequently, in 1927, a new university area was planned to be built in the district of Moncloa-Aravaca, in lands handed over by the King Alfonso XIII to this purpose. The Spanish Civil War turned the "Ciudad Universitaria" into a war zone, causing the destruction of several schools in the area, as well as the loss of part of its rich scientific, artistic and bibliographic heritage. The Spanish Civil War was a major conflict in Spain that started after an attempted Coup d'état committed by parts of the army against the government of In 1970 the Government reformed the High Education, and the Central University became the Complutense University of Madrid. It was then when the new campus at Somosaguas was created in order to house the new School of Social Sciences. The old Alcala campus was reopened as the independent UAH. Compultense also serves to the population of students who select Madrid as their residency during their study abroad period. Students from the United States for example, might go to Madrid on a program like API (Academic Programs International) and study at Compultense for an intense immersion into the Spanish Language. The beautiful setting of the campus allows students living temporarily in Madrid to have access to all of the city's public features including Retiro Park, El Prado Museum, and much more. After studying at the University, students return home with a fluent senese of Spanish as well as culture and diversity. University of Alcalá in 1977. The University of Alcalá (Universidad de Alcalá is an institute of higher learning located in the city of Alcalá de Henares, to the east of Madrid in ^[25]

Another important university is the Autonoma, perhaps Spain's best university for research along with Complutense, was instituted under the leadership of the famous physicist, Nicolás Cabrera. The Autonomous University of Madrid (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid commonly known by its Spanish initials UAM or as "la Autónoma" is a Spanish Public University Nicolás Cabrera (1913 &ndash 1989 was a Spanish Physicist who did important work on the theories of Crystal growth (specifically the Burton-Cabrera-Frank The Autonoma is widely recognised for its research strengths in theoretical physics. Known simply as la Autónoma in Madrid, its main site is the Cantoblanco Campus, situated 15 kilometers to the north of the capital (M-607) and close to the municipal areas of Madrid, namely Alcobendas, San Sebastián de los Reyes, Tres Cantos and Colmenar Viejo. Transport in Alcobendas Alcobendas in is the B1 zone for Madrid's Transports Tres Cantos is a township and Municipality located in the autonomous community of Madrid, Spain, some 22 km north of the capital city Tourism The most important tourist attractions places in Colmenar Viejo are Basilica de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción Ermita Located on the main site are the Rectorate building and the Faculties of Science, Philosophy and Fine Arts, Law, Economic Science and Business Studies, Psychology, Higher School of Computing Science and Engineering, and the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education. The Medical School is sited outside the main site and beside the Hospital Universitario La Paz. ^[26]

Other local universities, among many others, are the Technical University of Madrid, as the result of merging the different Technical Schools of Engineering; the Universidad de Alcalá de Henares, rebuilt at Alcalá de Henares in 1975; the Carlos III, whose philosophy is to create responsible free-thinking people with a sensitivity to social problems and an involvement in the concept of progress based on freedom, justice and tolerance and the Universidad Pontificia Comillas, involved in a number of academic exchange programmes, work practice schemes and international projects with over 200 Higher Education Institutions in Europe, Latin America, North America and Asia. The Technical University of Madrid (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid UPM) is a Spanish University, located in Madrid. The University of Alcalá (Universidad de Alcalá is an institute of higher learning located in the city of Alcalá de Henares, to the east of Madrid in Alcalá de Henares, meaning Castle on the river Henares, is a Spanish city whose historical centre is one of UNESCO 's World Heritage The Universidad Carlos III de Madrid is a public university in Madrid, Spain. The Comillas Pontifical University (Universidad Pontificia Comillas is an academic institution in Spain.

Other universities in Madrid: Rey Juan Carlos University (public), Universidad Alfonso X, Universidad Antonio de Nebrija, Universidad Camilo José Cela, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca Campus de Madrid, Saint Louis University (Madrid Campus) and Universidad San Pablo CEU (all of them private). The Rey Juan Carlos University (Universidad Rey Juan Carlos URJC) is a public University located in Madrid ( Spain) whose name refers to Universidad Europea de Madrid is a for-profit University in Madrid, Spain.

Madrid is also home to the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía, the Real Conservatorio Superior de Música de Madrid and many other private educational institutions. The Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía (The Reina Sofía School of Music is a private Music college founded in Madrid in 1991 by Paloma O'Shea. The Madrid Conservatory (Real Conservatorio Superior de Música de Madrid is a Music college in Madrid, Spain.

Transport

Air

Main article: Barajas International Airport

Barajas Airport

Chamartín Metro Station

Madrid is served by Barajas International Airport. Madrid-Barajas Airport (Aeropuerto de Madrid-Barajas is the main international airport serving the Spanish capital Madrid. Madrid-Barajas Airport (Aeropuerto de Madrid-Barajas is the main international airport serving the Spanish capital Madrid. Barajas is the main hub of Iberia Airlines. An airline hub is an Airport that an airline uses as a transfer point to get passengers to their intended destination Iberia Líneas Aéreas de España SA (Iberia Airlines of Spain ( or Iberia as it is commonly known is the largest Airline of Spain, based It consequently serves as the main gateway to the Iberian peninsula from Europe, America and the rest of the world. Current passenger volumes range upwards of 52 million passengers per year, putting it in the top 10 busiest airports in the world. World's busiest airport is a claim that is fiercely fought over by the owners of the world's largest Airports The definition of busiest has been specified by the Airports Council ^[27] Given annual increases close to 10%, a new fourth terminal has been constructed. It has significantly reduced delays and doubled the capacity of the airport to more than 70 million passengers per year. Two additional runways have also been constructed, making Barajas a fully operational four-runway airport.

Main article: Madrid´s future airports

The Councillor of Transports of the Madrid´s Community, Manuel Lamela, recently announced that the city will also be served by two new airports which are expected to be fully operative in 2016, first of them will be located in Campo Real, it will be initially be used for cargo flights, but also as hub for low-cost companies, and the second one, expected to be built between the two municipalities of El Álamo and Navalcarnero, which will only take over the routes operating in Cuatro Vientos aerodrome.

National Rail

Main article: Cercanías Madrid

Spain's railway system, the Red Nacional de Ferrocarriles Españoles (Renfe) operates the vast majority of Spain's railways. Cercanías Madrid is the Commuter rail service that serves Madrid, the capital of Spain, and its metropolitan area Renfe Operadora is the State-owned company which operates freight and passenger Trains on the 1668-mm " Iberian gauge " and 1435-mm " In Madrid, the main rail terminals are Atocha in the south and Chamartín in the north. Chamartín is an administrative district of Madrid, Spain and consists of the following neighborhoods El Viso Prosperidad Ciudad Jardín Hispanoamérica Nueva

The crown jewel of Spain's next decade of infrastructure construction is the Spanish high speed rail network, Alta Velocidad Española AVE. Ave! or aue! is a Latin phrase used by the Romans as a salutation and Greeting, meaning 'hail' Currently, an ambitious plan includes the construction of a 7,000 kilometre (4,350 mi) network, centered on Madrid. A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States The overall goal is to have all important provincial cities be no more than 4 hours away from Madrid, and no more than 6 hours away from Barcelona. Barcelona ( Catalan bəɾsəˈlonə Spanish baɾθeˈlona is the capital and most populous city of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia As of 2008, AVE high-speed trains link Atocha station to Seville, Málaga and Toledo in the south and to Zaragoza, Lleida, Tarragona and Barcelona in the east. Ave! or aue! is a Latin phrase used by the Romans as a salutation and Greeting, meaning 'hail' Seville ( Spanish: Sevilla, see also different names) is the artistic cultural and financial capital of southern Spain. Toledo Spain locationpng|thumb|right|200px|Location of Toledo in Spain Zaragoza, also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza province and of the autonomous community and former Lleida (Standard Central Catalan ˈʎejðə or North-Western Catalan; Spanish Lérida, though officially referred as Lleida Tarragona (tərəˈɣonə in Catalan) is a city located in the south of Catalonia and east of Spain, by the Mediterranean Sea. Barcelona ( Catalan bəɾsəˈlonə Spanish baɾθeˈlona is the capital and most populous city of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia AVE trains also arrive to Valladolid. Ave! or aue! is a Latin phrase used by the Romans as a salutation and Greeting, meaning 'hail' ||-||} is an industrial city and it is a Municipality in north-central Spain, upon the Pisuerga River and within the Ribera del Duero wine-making region

RENFE offers:

• AVE
• Alaris
• Altaria
• Talgo

Metro

Main article: Madrid Metro

Madrid's metro map

A modern metro train (type 8000). Ave! or aue! is a Latin phrase used by the Romans as a salutation and Greeting, meaning 'hail' Alaris is the brand name of the Regional rail network run by the Spanish national rail company RENFE that connects the major cities of Madrid Altaria is the Brand name of a group of fast long-distance passenger Railway services operated by Spanish national railway company Renfe Operadora Talgo is a Spanish manufacturer of railway vehicles It is best known for a design of articulated railway passenger cars in which the wheels are mounted The Madrid Metro is the large metro system serving the city of Madrid. The Madrid Metro is the large metro system serving the city of Madrid.

Serving a population of some four million, the Madrid Metro is one of the most extensive and fastest-growing metro networks in the world. The Madrid Metro is the large metro system serving the city of Madrid. A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway or metro(politan system is an electric passenger railway ^[28] With the addition of a loop serving suburbs to Madrid's south-west "Metrosur", it is now the second largest metro system in Western Europe, second only to London's Underground. Western Europe at its most general meaning means 'all the countries in the West of Europe ' The London Underground is a Metro system serving a large part of Greater London and neighbouring areas of Essex, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire In 2007 Madrid's metro system was expanded and it currently runs over 322 kilometers (200 miles) of line. The province of Madrid is also served by an extensive commuter rail network called Cercanías. Commuter rail, regional rail or suburban rail is a Passenger rail transport service between a city center and outer suburbs and Commuter towns Cercanías (θeɾkaˈnias is the name given to the Commuter rail systems of Spain 's major metropolitan areas

See also

• 11 March 2004 Madrid train bombings
• Forest of the Departed
• List of mayors of Madrid
• Large Cities Climate Leadership Group

References

External links

• Madrid travel guide from Wikitravel
• The Official Website for Madrid on Tourism and Business
• A free self-guided tour through Madrid
• WikiSatellite view of Madrid at WikiMapia
• Photogallery of Madrid (Spanish)
• Tourism Website of Madrid
• History of Madrid
• Development and History of the city of Madrid
• Madrid Metro+railway Map. Bilingual Spanish/English. Updated September 2007PDF (687 KiB)
• "Renta en los Distritos de Madrid 1996"PDF, 1996, retrieved January 7, 2006
• " En algunos barrios de Madrid el 40% de la poblacion ya son inmigrantes " retrieved on January 7, 2006
• A guide to the natural history of Madrid
• Gay Guide to Madrid, GayMadrid. Wikitravel is a Web -based project "to create a free, complete up-to-date and reliable worldwide travel guide. A kibibyte (a contraction of ki lo bi nary byte) is a unit of Information or Computer storage, established by the International Events 1325 - Alfonso IV becomes King of Portugal. 1558 - France takes Calais, the last continental Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1325 - Alfonso IV becomes King of Portugal. 1558 - France takes Calais, the last continental Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. com