Walking Madrid with a Local, Madrid, Spain
If Madrid is the capital of Spain, its most touristy city is Barcelona. For the traveller who has visited the harbour city, Madrid may look a bit severe far from the charming聽medieval streets聽and eccentric聽Gaudi聽buildings of the capital of Catalonia. Follow us and walk Madrid with a local to find the real soul of Madrid, behind its wide avenues and majestic fa莽ades鈥�
In 1561, the king of Spain Felipe II moved the court from Toledo to the small village of Madrid that instantly became a capital. Its infrastructures had to be updated. Rather than trying to fit in the old, the village was pretty much wiped out and a modern city built. From 9,000 inhabitants, Madrid soon was home to 90,000 people. This is why today, Madrid feels very different from most cities with a strong medieval history such as聽Barcelona聽or聽Paris. Its streets are much wider, its squares ample, and its buildings majestic.
One of the best examples may be the聽Plaza Mayor聽where the proud Felipe II sits majestically on his horse. Originally a lake, it got dried out to host a small market square that was turned into the main trading point of the city with the beautiful headquarters of the guilds all around the square where people sold and bought their bread, meat, wine and tobacco. If now the buildings are a lot quieter, the square is filled with tourists still trading the same goods at the numerous terraces bordering聽Plaza Mayor. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).
In 1561, the king of Spain Felipe II moved the court from Toledo to the small village of Madrid that instantly became a capital. Its infrastructures had to be updated. Rather than trying to fit in the old, the village was pretty much wiped out and a modern city built. From 9,000 inhabitants, Madrid soon was home to 90,000 people. This is why today, Madrid feels very different from most cities with a strong medieval history such as聽Barcelona聽or聽Paris. Its streets are much wider, its squares ample, and its buildings majestic.
One of the best examples may be the聽Plaza Mayor聽where the proud Felipe II sits majestically on his horse. Originally a lake, it got dried out to host a small market square that was turned into the main trading point of the city with the beautiful headquarters of the guilds all around the square where people sold and bought their bread, meat, wine and tobacco. If now the buildings are a lot quieter, the square is filled with tourists still trading the same goods at the numerous terraces bordering聽Plaza Mayor. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).
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Guide Name: Walking Madrid with a Local
Guide Location: Spain » Madrid
Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Article (B))
Author: Marcella Van Alphen
Read it on Author's Website:
Sight(s) Featured in This Guide:
Guide Location: Spain » Madrid
Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Article (B))
Author: Marcella Van Alphen
Read it on Author's Website:
Sight(s) Featured in This Guide:
- The Metropolis building
- Plaza Mayor
- Puerta del Sol
- San Miguel Market
- Plaza de Villa
- Royal Palace
- Vegetal wall Caixa Forum
- Posada del Peine
- Sobrino de Bot铆n
- Paseo del Prado
- Mercado de San Ildefonso
- Calla Cava Brava
- Tabacalera
- Chueca
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