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THE ORIGINS
The city has its origins in the times of the Muslim Emir Mohamed I (852-886), who ordered a fortress to be built on the left bank of the River Manzanares to defend Toledo from Castilian attacks. There are still many names that are conserved from that period: Puerta de la Vega, Puerta de Moros and Puerta Cerrada. In 933, the city was seized from the Moors by Ramiro II, king of León. The Muslims reclaimed it, however, until 1085, the year in which Alfonso VI finally conquered it. During these years, the population was small but very heterogeneous since it was made up of Christians, Jews and Mudejars. |
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THE CATHOLIC MONARCHS
During the reign of the Catholic Monarchs, the city grew towards the south. The gateways of San Francisco appeared along with those of Sol, Atocha and Santo Domingo. Charles I, a king who was very keen on hunting, spent long periods in Madrid. His frequent visits led them to undertake an important reform of the Alcázar, which moved some aristocratic families to build the first urban palaces (Casa de Cisneros, Palacio de los Vargas,.).
Nevertheless, it was Felipe II who, in 1561, decided to turn Madrid into the capital of the Spanish monarchy. This monarch wanted to give the city a new air, reorganising some streets and squares and building a new wall. |
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17th AND 18th CENTURIES
During the 17th century the city experienced a rapid but disorderly growth that was undertaken without a specific urban plan. Felipe III, although he moved the court temporarily to Valladolid, did very much to improve the appearance of the city. His son, Felipe IV, a grand enthusiast of the arts, would complete this task. Felipe IV backed artists such as Velázquez and Murillo and men of letters such as Lope de Vega, Calderón de la Barca, Quevedo and Tirso de Molina.
At the end of the 17th century it was characterised by the decline of the empire, full of intrigues and amorous scandals, with the reign of Charles II.
The 18th century, begun under the reign of the Bourbons, was one of the most prosperous in Madrid's history, with great achievements in terms of urban development. For example, under the reign of the first king of the Bourbon dynasty, Felipe V, the actual Palacio Real was built. His son Felipe VI, concerned about the well-being of his subjects, ended all the wars and the continuous squandering of the court.
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Charles III, king of Naples, succeeded his stepbrother Fernando VI. Charles III has been one of the best monarchs throughout the history of Spain. He introduced improvements of a different quality such as the construction of a sewage system, the installation of paving on the streets and the first oil lighting system. He also mapped out the grand thoroughfares of the city such as the Paseo de la Castellana, the Paseo de Recoletos, and the Paseos of El Prado and Las Acacias.
In contrast to his forebear, Charles IV devoted himself to embellishing the palaces in which he lived before improving the city. |
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THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE
The War of Independence took place at the turn of the 19th century. The people of Madrid rose up in arms against the occupying French. This turn-of-century Madrid was where the brilliant Goya lived. Despite the conflicts with the people, the Frenchman Joseph Bonaparte carried out important urban reforms, with the aim of providing more light and open space to the city.
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19th AND 20th CENTURIES
With the reign of Isabel II, an urban transformation of a bourgeois and progressive nature was developed in the capital. One of the most important measures was the expropriation of ecclesiastic properties, the aim being to create new streets, squares, markets and other buildings of public use. Due to the continuous growth in the population, an enlargement project for the city became absolutely necessary. The walls of Madrid were knocked down and new districts were built with a squared layout (Salamanca, Argüelles, Chamberrí and Delicias).
During the second half of the 19 th century, under the reign of Alfonso XII, suburbs and towns close to Madrid grew uncontrollably and were gradually absorbed into the city.
The 20 th century saw the creation of the Gran Vía, the aim of which was to relieve overcrowding in the old centre.
The Second Republic tried to lead the growth of Madrid towards the north, extending the Paseo de la Castellana.
During Franco's dictatorship, urban growth continued and accelerated with the economic boom of the sixties. The canalisation of the River Manzanares dates from this period.
We finally come to the Madrid of today, the Madrid of the constitutional monarchy of Juan Carlos I, one of the most fascinating capitals in Europe.
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More information about Madrid: |
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| THE TICKET PACKAGE INCLUDES |
# # 1 Ticket for the match and the selected category. VAT included
# # 1 City Guide or Map
# # 1 Souvenir
# # Package delivery in Spain |  |
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