Nobody knows quite why Philip II moved the royal court to Madrid back in the 16th century, but one credible theory is that its location, right at the heart of the Iberian Peninsula, made it the perfect spot to rule from. Only, if this was his true motivation, he was ever so slightly off. The …
Dominating Cibeles, the Banco de España, with its imposing wrought iron doorways and gorgeous masonry, is one of Madrid’s most impressive buildings. But, being home to the country’s huge gold reserves, visits inside are strictly supervised and incredibly scarce. For most of us mere mortals, the only opportunity to penetrate this behemoth comes once a …
General Miaja is worried. Though the heavy bombardment by German planes has stopped, Franco’s troops are on his doorstep. Banners floating above the battered city streets defiantly declare “No Pasarán!”. But right now, at the beginning of 1937, the head of Madrid’s Defence Council admits to himself that they might just get through. If he …
With its blinged out designer clothes shops filled with trophy wives dragging along toy poodles, Salamanca is THE most exclusive barrio in Madrid. But it wasn’t always this way. In fact, the area has a surprisingly short and initially troubled history. Breaking through the city wall Between 1625 and 1868, Madrid was surrounded by a …
Time was you couldn’t swing a cat, let alone drive through central Madrid without hitting a church or monastery. A lack of urban planning meant that the city’s narrow streets were stifled by religious institutions. That was until Bonaparte’s troops rolled into town. The new ruler, Napoleon’s brother, Joseph, decided to modernize the city and …