People from Madrid are a welcoming sort, but even so, they do have a strong sense of their own identity. Just like DNA, it is coded into the language, marking them out as citizens of the city. Which is why, if you’re in Madrid to stay, it’s worth getting to grips with some truly Madrileño …
Founded in 1478 to root out false Jewish converts to Christianity, the Spanish Inquisition was a bloodthirsty organization that killed between 5,000 and 10,000 people during its 350 year existence. Given these horrifying statistics, it might seem odd to say that the Spanish Inquisition wasn’t quite as bad as it has been made out to …
The Rastro is one of those typically Madrilleño experiences that can neither be Disneyfied nor gentrified. Though stalls are more strictly regulated these days, this outdoor flea market retains its raucous edge with vendors shouting out chollos while swarms of punters elbow each other out of the way, some of them so intent on snagging …
It’s not easy piecing together a Jewish history of Madrid. While nearby Toledo has not one but two medieval synagogues, little hard physical evidence of Madrid’s Jewish population remains. This stands to reason as Toledo was, of course, a much larger and more important location in medieval Spain. But documents attest to the fact that …
A king’s blessing The stage was quite literally set for theatre in Madrid to flourish soon after Philip II relocated the court here. The ever astute ruler realised that he could use the popularity of the theatre in Madrid to raise much needed funds for public hospitals. So in 1565 he signed a document authorising …
Tough times for Madrid’s oldest stores Last year was a brutal one for retail and sadly, many of Madrid’s oldest stores fell victim to the pandemic. These included the stationer, Papelería Salazar and the bookstore Nicolás Moya. Those that have hung on in there have done so by their fingernails. The shopkeepers I spoke to …
From the street, Madrid’s only remaining pelota stadium doesn’t look like much. Painted a genteel cream and white and decorated with ornamental columns and balustrades, it blends nicely in with the very Parisian look of Madrid’s northern neighbourhoods. But behind its polite public façade, a fast and furious version of pelota called cesta punta, or …
When I heard that an observation deck had opened up next to the Royal Palace, I was down there like a shot. Closed off to visitors for years, up until now it had only been possible to get tantalizing glimpses of its spectacular views through iron railings. So it was a delight to be finally …
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 …
The story of Madrid’s colonias When Madrid’s city walls were demolished in 1868, a construction boom got underway, with smart apartment blocks springing up all over the place. Areas like Salamanca took on a distinctly Parisian feel as the wealthy moved into grand flats furnished with every modern convenience. But little provision was made for …