Alcalá de Henares has a long history dating back to Roman times when it was called Complutum. It was influenced by Muslims in the 9th century when they built a castle. In the Middle Ages, it became an important trading city protected by walls. The Renaissance saw urban transformations under Archbishop Cisneros who founded the University of Alcalá. Although the Baroque period was economically difficult, culture thrived with theaters built. Modern times brought economic development, restoration of historic sites, and designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

1. A LITTLE HISTORY
OF
ALCALÁ DE
HENARES

2. 1. INTRODUCTION
Alcalá de Henares is located 30
kilometres far away from Madrid ,
close to the motorway A-2.
Alcalá has actually been
influenced by culture ad it also has
a young atmosphere. Our city is
also an important industrial region
in the area close to the river
Henares.
The city of Alcalá holds the title of
“city” since the year 1687 and
belongs to Madrid Community.
If you has been born in Alcalá
de Henares you are called
“Alcalaíno”

3. 2. A JOURNEY TO COMPLUTUM
Spain was governed by the Romans
since the 2nd century BC until 5th
century AD.
Alcalá was called Complutum, comming
from the term “compluvium”, place in
which water is stored.
Romans built plenty of state monuments
and some of them have been discovered
years after.
Complutum connected Emerita Augusta
(Mérida) with Caesaraugusta (Zaragoza)

4. 3. MUSLIM ALCALÁ
In the year 711 AD muslims invaded the
Peninsula.
In the middle of the 9th century muslims
build a castle in Alcalá: Al-qualat-en
Nahr “Castillo sobre el Henares”
This castle was quite close to the little
church of Val’s neighborhood.
In the year 1118 muslim inluence
finishes, but some people from this
community would still be living in this
area, creating beautiful works of art.

5. 4. MEDIEVAL ALCALÁ
In the year 1129, the monarch Alfonso
VII gave Alcalá’s land to the Toledo
Archbishopric.
Alcalá became important and it was
walled to protect itself as a city and also
in order to protect commerce . We still
have part of these wall remains.
Because of the enormous relevance of
trading, a lot of jews lived in calle Mayor,
which has plenty of arcades protecting
their stalls.

6. 5. RENAISSANCE IN ALCALÁ
Reinaissance in Alcalá starts in 1495
when Cisneros became archbishop of
Toledo.
He started a very importan urban
transformation: paving the streets and
providing them with a sewage system.
The new grid plan and main squares
were planified by the arquitect Pedro
Gumiel.
Cisneros was considered the best major
of Alcalá he also promoted the
Multilingual Bible

7. 6. BARROQUE ALCALÁ
Probably the best known personality of
Alcalá is Miguel de Cervantes, writer of
Don Quijote.
Although it was a period of crisis, from
an economic point of view, in terms of
culture it was a brilliant age.
Many theatres, like the typical “corrales
de comedias” were build.
In Alcalá de Henares we count with a
good example of this structure.

8. 7. MODERN TIMES
Alcalá experimented a period of
economic development during the
1960s.
University was restored, also mportant
monuments and 1998 it was declared
World Heritage Site.
We have also improved all the urban
areas with publis services like schools,
health centres and means of transport
like Renfe Cercanias.
Some new residencial areas have been
created once population has been
increasing.