2. Route to Madrid from Dąbrowa Górnicza
Madrid is located in the centre
of Spain, and the two main
ways to get there would be by
plane from Kraków (about
three and half hours), or by
car, through Germany and
France (about 26 hours).
3. Madrid is the capital of Spain, and is home to the Spanish Royal family as
well as the Spanish Government. It is a modern metropolitan city and an
economical and industrial center of Spain, and, with its population of nearly
3,5 million people, is also the biggest city in Spain.It is located in the
centre of the Iberian Peninsula, and is surrounded by mountains and natural
parks. Although it is located in the centre of the country, it has traditionally
been the hub between different areas of Spain and is therefore connected to
all major Spanish cities by train, road or air.
4. Population and society
Madrid is the second biggest city in
Europe, surpassed only by Berlin. Its
metropolitan area has almost 6,7 milion
inhabitants. Madrid also has the greatest
population density in Spain. Its inhabitants
are mainly concentrated in the capital and
in a series of municipalities, as opposed to
in rural areas with low population density.
Its citizens have diverse origins, and
Madrid is the province with the highest
number of residents born outside its
territory and with the largest foreign
population.
5. History
Originally named Mayrit, the city
of Madrid was founded by the emir
Muhammad at the close of the ninth
century A.D. The city came to
prominence during the Arab
occupation of the Iberian peninsula,
but passed into Christian hands
during the Reconquest of Spain by the
Christians. The present location of
Madrid—in Spain’s center—was
established in 1083 by King Alfonso
I. Madrid consolidated in the Late
Middle Ages as a middle to upper-
middle rank town of the Crown of
Castile. The development of Madrid
as administrative centre began when
the court of the Hispanic monarchy
was settled in the town in 1561.
6. Puerta del Sol, literally “door of the sun”, is one of the most famous squares in
Madrid and a meeting point for locals and tourists alike. It’s the center of the city
and the first stop for most visitors. Here, you’ll find three of the main symbols
Madrid is known for. The first is El Oso y el Madroño (Statue of the Bear and
Strawberry Tree), which represents Madrid’s coat of arms. It’s where you’ll find
people impatiently looking at their watches, as this is a popular meeting spot.
The second is Real Casa de Correos (House of the Post Office), which isn’t
known for its impeccable postal services but for its clock instead, where
thousands of people gather annually to eat 12 grapes before welcoming the New
Year. Third and last is Kilometer Zero, the starting point for every road in
Spain.
7. The Royal Palace of Madrid was
built in the 18th century and is the
official residence of the Spanish
Royal Family. Actually,
nowadays, the palace is used
exclusively for receptions,
ceremonies, and official acts, as the
monarchs of Spain have taken up
residency in the Zarzuela Palace.
The Palace is surrounded
by Campo del Moro Park, to the
west, that dates back to the Middle
Ages, and the gardens of
Sabatini, which you may visit
during the daytime. The changing
of Guard at the Royal Palace of
Madrid takes place every
Wednesday from October to July at
11 am.
8. Gran Vía, the most famous boulevard of Madrid, was built
between 1910 and 1929 to connect the Salamanca and Argüelles
neighborhoods. It’s filled with shops, restaurants, and some of
the city’s most iconic buildings, like the Metropolis or
the Carrion building with the famous Schweppes sign. In the
olden days, Gran Vía used to be named the Spanish
Broadway, but every year more theaters and cinemas close
down. Regardless, it’s still “the street that never sleeps”, as it’s
one of the epicenters of nightlife in Madrid and even most
shops stay open until dark.
9. Parque del Retiro is Madrid’s most famous park and, since opening to the
public in 1868, it has become a backwater of history and peace. It was originally
built for the enjoyment of King Philip IV. It got somewhat damaged during the
War of Independence, but later regained its charm and elegance, becoming a
place for commoners and royals. There’s a scenic lake, where you can rent
rowboats or hop in a larger boat that goes around the pond; there’s a Crystal
Palace, a greenhouse turned exhibition gallery; and the monument to King
Alfonso VII, an impressive statue at the end of the lake where musicians
usually gather around to entertain passing visitors.
10. Monasterio de Las Descalzas
Reales was founded in the 16th
century and housed in a Renaissance-
style royal palace, the Convent of the
Barefoot Royals amassed great riches
over the years from the dowries of the
Spanish noblewomen who were once
cloistered here. Today the church and
museum (now administered by the
Spanish state with permission from the
Pope) displays an impressive wealth of
paintings, frescoes, statues, tapestries
and religious artifacts, such as Saint
Sebastian's bones. The richly decorated
palace is a must-see on any Madrid
itinerary and is conveniently located
near the Puerta de Sol. Though no
longer of noble extraction, the convent
still houses a few nuns.
11. One of Madrid's most unique
attractions is the Temple of Debod.
Located in the Parque del Oeste
and mostly surrounded by an
artificial pool of water, the ancient
Egyptian temple dates from the
second century BC and was dedicated
to Amun and later to Isis. The temple
was a gift from Egypt to Spain in
recognition of Spain's support in
saving Abu Simbel's temples from the
construction of the Aswan Dam.
Inside the temple you can see a series
of religious reliefs and admire the
temple's architecture. Entrance to the
museum is free during the day, but at
any hour, visitors can and do come to
appreciate its exterior.
12. Containing the largest Christian
dome outside of Rome, the
Basilica de San Francisco
El Grande is an 18th century
Roman Catholic basilica built in
the Neoclassical style. The
interior is richly decorated with
murals, paintings and statues
and has been restored several
times over the years. One of its
attractions is the collection of
17th to 19th century Spanish
paintings, which includes works
from celebrated Spanish
painters Goya and Zurbaran.
While the basilica was once
used as Spain's National
Pantheon, today it is a
National Monument. Unless
there is a religious service, the
basilica's museum is open to
visitors for most of the day.
13. Puerto de Alcala, located on a large
roundabout in Plaza de la Independencia.
This neoclassical passageway was one of the
five ancient entrances to the city. In fact, it got
its name because it stands in the road that led
to Alcalá de Henares. Its appearance is similar
to the triumphal arches built by the Romans,
and it was designed by the Italian architect
Francesco Sabatini, who finished the
construction in 1778. Since then, the statues,
engravings and columns that decorate the five
arches have undergone five restorations. It’s
currently doing splendidly and is one of the
biggest tourist attractions in Madrid.
14. Prado Museum, Spanish Museo del Prado, art museum in Madrid,
housing the world’s richest and most comprehensive collection of
Spanish painting, as well as masterpieces of other schools of European
painting, especially Italian and Flemish art. The Prado contains the most
complete collections in the world of the works of El Greco, Velázquez,
and Francisco de Goya, as well as of such Spanish masters as José de
Ribera and Francisco de Zurbarán.
16. Real Madrid is one of the best and most titled teams in the history of
football. The honorific title real is Spanish for "royal" and was bestowed to the club
by King Alfonso XIII together with the royal crown in the emblem. Real Madrid is
one of the most widely supported teams in the world. They hold many long-standing
rivalries, most notably El Clásico with Barcelona and El Derbi
Madrileño with Atlético Madrid. The club plays its home matches at Santiago
Bernabeu.
17. Madrid is almost in the exact
geographic centre of Spain and it
is the nation's chief
transportation and
administrative centre. The
city's major industrial products
include motor vehicles,
aircraft, chemicals,
pharmaceuticals, processed
food, printed materials, and
leather goods. Besides its many
manufacturing industries. While
Madrid is an important industrial
centre, it is more important as a
centre of service activities.
These include government,
banking, publishing,
insurance and finance. Madrid
is also a major centre of Spain's
tourist industry.
Industry
18. Events
Every year on and around May 15th, Madrid honours its
patron saint, San Isidro Labrador, with a packed
programme of events featuring concerts, shows and an
endless range of activities for all ages. Tradition meets
modernity in the week-long festivities that see
Madrileños dress up and dance chotis in the streets and
enjoy picnics with friends and family in the Pradera de
San Isidro Park.
19. Nowhere in the world, perhaps, is
bullfighting as important or as revered as
it is in the capital city of Madrid. As the
weather begins to warm in mid to late
March, the Plaza de las Ventas is once
again transformed into a giant venue
featuring some of the planet’s most
exciting and well-attended bullfight
events—a sport locally referred to as
corridas.
20. In 1894, Luis Colomo told the story of
Ratoncito Pérez to the young King
Alphonso, who had just lost a tooth.
Ratoncito Pérez was a mouse who lived
in a box of cookies with his family in
Madrid. He travels through the
pipes of the city to reach the
bedrooms of children who had
just lost a tooth. When the children
place their tooth under their pillows,
Ratoncito Pérez exchange the tooth for
a small gift. The character gained so
much popularity that it was the first
fictional character paid tribute to
by the city council of Madrid with
a commemorative plaque.
21. Famous people Madrid is the hometown of many famous people:
singers like Julio and Enrique Iglesias,
sportsmen like David de Gea, Raul Gonzalez
and artists (Alba Flores, Esther Acebo).
23. Questions
• How was Madrid named originally?
• What is popularly called the „Spanish Broadway”?
• How is the rivalry between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona
called?
• Who is the patron of Madrid?
• How are the famous bull fights called in Spanish?
• Who was Ratoncito Pérez?
