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Some facts and history about Madrid and some suggestions about interesting places to visit:
Madrid, the capital of Spain, is situated in the region called the Community of Madrid which is one of the seventeen autonomous communities of Spain. This province is located at the center of the country, the Iberian peninsula, and the Castilian Central Plateau. Show the province of Madrid on the map.
| Population |
6,251,876 (in 2008) |
| Land area |
8,028 km² (1.6% of all Spanish territory) |
| Climate |
temperate continental Mediterranean climate |
| Capital |
Madrid |
| Main cities and provincial capitals |
Alcobendas, Alcalá de Henares, Alcorcón, Aranjuez, Avila, Fuenlabrada, Getafe, Leganés, Móstoles, San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Segovia, Toledo, Torrejón de Ardoz |
| Touristic highlights |
In Madrid: Royal Palace, Crystal Palace, Calle de Alcalá, the Almudena Cathedral, Calle Mayor, the Cibeles Fountain, the Atocha roundabout and the surroundings, Pantheon of Illustrious Men, Retiro Park, Plaza de España, the Temple of Debod, the Royal Theatre, the Puerta del Sol and so much more
In Aranjuez: Royal Palace, Isle Garden, Parterre Garden, Prince's Garden, Isabella II's Garden , House of Trades and Knights.
In Avila: the medieval city walls, The Gothic cathedral, The churches of San Vicente, San Pedro and San Segundo, the Gothic Monastery of Santo Tomás
In Segovia: The Segovia Cathedral, Monastery of El Parral, Alcazar of Segovia, the Gardens of Alcázar, Puerta de San Andrés., San Justo Church
In Toledo: Castillo de San Servando. The Gothic Cathedral, Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes, Santa Maria la Blanca, Synagogue de el Transito, Church of Santiago del Arrabal, El Cristo de la Luz.
The famous monastery of El Escorial, where most of the kings of Spain are buried, is located about 45 kilometres (28 miles) northwest of Madrid, in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial.
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Despite the existence of a large city of 5 million people, the Community of Madrid still retains some remarkably unspoiled and diverse habitats and landscapes. Madrid is home to mountain peaks rising above 2,000m, holm oak dehesas and low lying plains.
The region of Madrid has a temperate Continental Mediterranean climate with cold winters with temperatures sometimes dropping below 0 °C (32 °F). Summer tends to be hot with temperatures that consistently surpass 30 °C (86 °F) in July and can often reach 40 °C (104 °F).
The creation of the contemporary Community of Madrid took place in 1983 and the City of Madrid (Spanish: Villa de Madrid) was designated as the capital of the community as well as was explicitly named the capital of the country by the 1978 Constitution.
Just like the rest of the country, the region of Madrid has always been at the crossroads between Europe and Africa. It was dominated by the Roman Empire, the Visigothic Kingdom, various Muslim governors and Christian Kingdoms. The Castilian monarchs showed a predilection for the center of the Iberian Peninsula thanks to its abundant forests and wild landscape that allowed for hunting games. El Pardo was a region visited frequently by the kings, since the times of Henry III, in the 14th century. The Catholic Kings started the construction of the Royal Palace of Aranjuez. In the 16th century, San Lorenzo de El Escorial was built and became another royal site of the province. All these different influences have inevitably shaped the region’s history, culture and traditions and so, made it one of today’s most popular Spanish destinations for tourists worldwide.
As far as economy is concerned, the service, construction, and industry sectors are prominent in Madrid's commercial productive structure. Madrid's levels of industry set it at fourth place in Spain. The province also boasts a higher concentration of high and medium technology activities and services than the rest of Spain.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the region of Madrid are:
Alcalá de Henares, Toledo, Cuenca, Segovia, Ávila, Salamanca, Córdoba, the Monastery and Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial and the Aranjuez Cultural Landscape
Some of the most important cultural traditions in the province of Madrid are:
• Fiesta San Isidro: May’s "Fiesta de San Isidro" is Madrid’s biggest festival and one of the best ways to experience the culture of the people of Madrid, "los Madrileños". This week long fiesta sees everyone in their finery enjoying concerts, activities and parties all over the city.
• Tapas: Perhaps the most important part of Madrid culture is the food and drink. Even with a wide variety of restaurants and take aways nothing has a fonder place in the heart of Madridleños than Tapas!
• El Gordo: The biggest lottery in the world and celebrated every Christmas in Spain. This tradition has rules, regulations, customs & traditions like no other. From the children that "sing" each winning number to the small bars that erupt in joy when their number comes in!
• Madrid’s New Year: Why do the Spanish walk around with grapes in their pocket on the 31st December each year? Find out why along with where the best parties are each New year in Madrid! Ring in the new year in the city that never sleeps... After all it is Madrid´s culture to Party!!
• La Transhumancia: Something a little out of the ordinary? The annual parade of livestock, predominantly sheep, through the centre of Madrid as farmers exercise their right of way. Based upon routes taken by the earliest shepherds in Neolithic times this spectacle is a classic!
The Madrid Cuisine gathers the culinary art from all around the country and there is no regional cuisine that is not expertly represented in the city. Madrid has included these contributions in its gastronomy and also those which have come from afar, originating a great variety of dishes with the Madrilenians stamp.
A good number of dishes and recipes can be named which can be considered typical of Madrid. Among them, the Cocido Madrileño must be mentioned: a stew combining chickpeas with vegetables (cabbage, celery, carrots, turnips and potatoes) and chicken, beef and pork. Callos or tripe is another of the typical dishes identified with local cuisine and may be found in some of the well-known restaurants in Madrid. We must not neglect the humble and savoury Sopa de Ajo (garlic soup), Caracoles (snails), Tortilla de patatas (potato omelette), the famous recipe of Besugo al horno (baked bream), so typical in the capital in spite of its distance from the ocean, or dishes in which bacalao (cod) is the main ingredient..
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