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Bodies of Water • Jarama is a river in Central Spain that flows north to south. It passes east of Madrid where the El Atazar Dam is built. It flows into the Tagus river, in Aranjuez. The river is well known because the Spanish Civil War was fought around it. The El Atazar Dam is famous too. It is the oldest dome dam in the world. It took four years to build starting in 1968 and finishing in 1972.
Puerto De Sol • Puerto De Sol is a town in the center of Madrid. It is called “Puerta” because it means gate. It got its name in the 15th century because it was the city’s main gate, that was surrounded by churches and monasteries. It was rebuilt to its present form in 1854 to1862. Today, it is the hub of the city’s transportation system and is Madrid’s most popular meeting point.
Plaza Mayor • Plaza Mayor is a two minute walk from Puerto De Sol. When it was first built in the 15th century, it was a small market square. It was completely rebuilt after King Phillip II made Madrid the capital of Spain. It became the city’s focal points for bullfights, carnivals, and all the great ceremonies and festivals. In 1790 there was a fire that burned down large sections of the Plaza, but they were rebuilt.
Royal Palace • After the Royal fortress burned down in 1734, King Philip V wanted to replace it with a palace. He called on Juan Batista Sacchetti to design the building. It took 26 years to build and it started in 1738. It was built from limestone and granite to make it fireproof. King Carlos III, son of King Philip V was the first King to live in the palace. He moved into it in 1764.
Parque Del Retiro • The Retiro Park was created as a royal park. It belonged to the Real Sitio del Buen Retiro palace. It was built in 1632 by King Philip IV as a retreat for the royal family. Retro stands for retreat which was the name of the park and palace. There is a artificial lake by the park, called the Estanque Del Retiro. A large monument of King Alfonso XII overlooks the lake.
Prado Museum • The Prado Museum has one of the largest collections of art work in the world. It consists of about 9,000 paintings, 5,000 drawings, 2,000 prints, 1,000 coins and medals, and approximately 2,000 decorative objects. The Prado has the world’s collection of finest Spanish Art. They have work done by El Greco, Velazquez, Goya, and Murillo.
Major Language • The major language of Madrid is Spanish. Spanish is not the only language spoken in Madrid, Spain, but it is the most popular language. Some other languages spoken are: Euskara, Galego, Catala, and Valencia.
Government • The Government is made up of a mayor and a 52 member city council, known as the Pleno or plenary. City Hall is located in the Plaza de la Villa in the colonial section of Madrid. The mayor and the city council members represent three parties: Partido Popular(Popular Party), Partido Socialista Obrero Espanol(Spanish Socialist Workers Party), and “Izquierda Unida”(United Left). The current mayor of Madrid is Alberto Ruiz-Gallardon.
National Holidays • Some of the Holiday’s that are celebrated in Madrid are: Community Day(Fiesta de la Communidad), San Isidro, Corpus Christi, Santiago, Santa Maria de la Cabeza(Wife of San Isidro), and Alumdena( Madrid’s female patron saint). Community Day is on May 2nd, San Isidro is on May 15th, Corpus Christi is on June 23rd, Santiago is on July 25th, Santa Maria de la Cabeza is on September 9th, and Alumdena is on November 9th. Madrid’s biggest festival celebrates San Isidro who is the patron saint of Madrid.
The Major Economy • Madrid is Spain’s second largest industrial center, after Barcelona. It manufactures aircraft, electrical equipment, agricultural machinery, and leather goods. The city is the center of national government, finance, and insurance, and the nation's transportation hub. It is also one of the most important publishing centers of Spanish language materials in the world. Tourism is an important element of the economy. Wheat, vines, and olives are some of the agricultural products in Madrid. The Euro serves as the currency used in Madrid.
Sports • There are many different sports played in Madrid. There is golf, bull fighting, horse racing, cycling, and fishing, but the most famous sport in Madrid is Football(soccer). Real Madrid is the soccer team in Madrid that plays in the La Liga League. They were voted the most successful football club of the 20th century. They won 31 La Liga titles, 18 Spanish Cups, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte, 1 Copa de la Liga, 9 UEFA Champions Leauges, 2 UEFA Cups, 1 UEFA Super Cup, and 3 International Cups.
Weather • For many, the reason people come to Madrid is for the weather. People go to Madrid expecting to have sun all day in the summer, it isn’t always true. One myth about Madrid is that the weather is always good. Madrid is the highest capital city in Europe, giving it unpredictable weather conditions for much of the year. The average temperatures shoot up after May, July and August making it incredibly hot; therefore, many Spaniards leave city during those hot months.
Interesting Facts about Madrid • Madrid has been the capital of Spain since the 17th century. • The name Madrid comes from the Arabic “magerit” which means ‘place of many streams’ • The population of Madrid was 950,000 in 1900. • It is the highest capital city in Europe. • Madrid has more cloudless days than almost any other city in Europe. • Madrid has two main railway stations: Chamartin(north) and Atocha(south)
