"Madrid to heaven" Madrid by gwened

Madrid Travel Guide: 5,306 reviews and 10,741 photos

under the Puerta de Alcala towards Gran Via - Madrid
under the Puerta de Alcala towards Gran Via
Madrid to heaven and

a hole n the sky to look down on it every day.

I lived off metro Quintana ,line 5 in Calle Alcala, (4 yrs) the wonderful local Quintana area part of municipality of Ciudad Lineal, that gave me that family feel about the city, from here I started to see the world on a long journey that has not stopped. Madrid forever.

A bit of history
Recent archeological finding have prove that the city was there even before the fortified moors or berbers stronghold of Magrit in the 9C, as the finding prove a presence of visigoths from the 7C under a Matrice or stream of water.

It was not until the 11C that it was incorporated into the crown of Castile after its conquest or reconquest by king Alfonso VI of Leon and Castilla in 1083AD. It was designated seat of the crown by king Felipe II in 1561AD becoming the first permanent capital of the Spanish monarchy. From then until now it has been the Capital of Spain except in brief historical moments such as between 1601 and 1606 ,when the capital was at Valladolid, during the war of Spanish independance that the capital was translated to Sevilla in 1808 and to Cadiz in 1810, during the Civil War when the governement was translated to Valencia and then to Barcelona.

The city has grown inmensively from the years I live in the 70's but the population has remained steady if now more presences of immigrants with a 17% increase and the tourist centre of 26%. The winter can be cold at 4°C and the summers hot at 35°C. Its a very touristic city ranking first in Spain and the country 2nd or 3rd worldwide by OIT part of the UN that has its international HQ in Madrid.

My district name is Ciudad Lineal that is organise into neighborhoods of Ventas (bullfight arena), Pueblo Nuevo , Quintana (my barrio !!!), Concepción , San Pascual, San Juan Bautista, Colina , Atalaya, and Costillares. Now immigrants are big there too with 18% mostly from Latin America and Romania. Quintana is on the main axis with principal streets my own calle de Alcalá ,and Calle José del Hierro. You can come to its enblematic square of plaza de Quintana, at the corner of C/ Alcalá and C/ Virgen del Sagrario, my spot.

train station Atocha
Atocha - Madrid

Atocha

you can have the trains, the cercanias train, and the metro. right in Madrid. picture taken while arriving by car.

Puerta de Alcala
Puerta de Alcala from entrance Retiro Park - Madrid

Puerta de Alcala from entrance Retiro Park

the gateway to Madrid from the time of Carlos III, Carlos V of Europe. Just by Retiro park,and near my church , not far from where I lived for four years;and make it a pilgrimage as much as I can thereafter.

Pros and Cons
  • Pros:Madrid to heaven
  • Cons:nothing bad in heaven
  • In a nutshell:Madrid to heaven and a hole to look down on it
  • Last visit to Madrid: Sep 2012
  • Intro Updated Jun 7, 2013
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Reviews (73)

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monument to Cuba - Madrid My park, the Retiro park Favorites (3)

often a spot on a city mark your life. For me it has been the retiro park, it was my hangout, my spot for relaxation,... more travel advice

side of Casa Arabe - Madrid Casa Arabe or Arab House Off The Beaten Path (14)

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