List of districts of Madrid
Encyclopedia
Madrid
, the capital city of Spain
, is politically organized with a division in 21 districts (distritos), which are further subdivided into 128 wards (barrios):. All districts are governed by an organ named Junta Municipal de Distrito.
Contemporary Madrid came into its own after the death of general Francisco Franco
. With his death, Madrid, and Spain as a whole, began to reassert itself on the international stage. Within Spain, reaction against the dictatorial bureaucracy centered in Madrid and a history of centralism that predated Franco by centuries has resulted in the successful modern movement towards increased autonomy for the regions of Spain, considered as autonomous regions, under the umbrella of Spain.
Modern Madrid ranks as one of the most important cities in Europe. Madrid is a leading southern European city and the most important link between the European Union and Latin America
.
The modern metropolis is home to over three million people. As expected with any major European capital city, each district (or barrio
in Spanish
) has its own feel.
Some of the most well-known "barrios" in Madrid are:
Alonso Martínez: This district contains the large Plaza de Colón. This plaza commemorates Christopher Columbus
, who was responsible for ushering in the Spanish imperial golden age of the 16th and 17th centuries. It is within walking distance of the main cultural and commercial areas of the city such as the Prado museum, the expansive Parque del Buen Retiro
as well as near the business center on the lower part of the Paseo de la Castellana.
Atocha: Atocha includes a rather large area which is bordered by the Huertas and Lavapiés districts. The two important sites located in this area are the Reina Sofía Museum
and the Atocha Railway Station (which was the main object of the terrorist attacks carried out on March 11, 2004), one of the two main train stations in Madrid (the other one is Chamartín
). The area also contains a number of art galleries and restaurants serving traditional food. This district also contains the main bus terminal as it is a central point of the city. In addition, Atocha was the site of the 1977 Massacre of Atocha
.
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AZCA / Nuevos Ministerios: Azca
is the financial district. The area is populated by skyscrapers, among them Torre Picasso
–157 metres (515 ft), Edificio BBVA–107 metres (351 ft) and Torre Europa
–115 metres (377 ft). Torre Windsor, one of the skyscrapers in this area, burnt entirely on the night between 12th and 13 February 2005 http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2005/graficos/feb/s3/windsorfotos.html. A very large (3 interconnected buildings) El Corte Inglés
department store is also here. The area is directly linked to Barajas Airport by metro
line 8 from Nuevos Ministerios station. It's the Parkour
centre of Madrid.
CTBA (Cuatro Torres Business Area) : The CTBA is the new financial district of Madrid, the area will be composed by four skyscrapers. The tallest of them is the Repsol tower (250 m/820 ft), designed by Sir Norman Foster
. When they finish the construction of the building, it will be the tallest skyscraper in Spain and the 3rd in Europe. The second tallest skyscraper,'Crystal Tower', is only 0.6 metres (2 ft) lower than Repsol tower, with 249.4 metres (818.2 ft), it will be the 4th tallest skyscraper of Europe. This building has being designed by Cesar Pelli
. The third tallest skyscraper is the 'Sacyr-Vallehermoso' tower with 235 metres (771 ft) and designed by Enrique Alvarez & Carlos Rubio. This building will have a 5 star hotel on the first 31 floors and will be the 5th tallest tower in Europe. Finally, the fourth building will be 'Espacio tower'. It is 223 metres (732 ft) long and it is designed by I.M. Pei. The four skyscrapers will be finished during 2008. Currently, the tallest tower is the 'Espacio Tower' because it is more advanced in construction than the other three towers.
Chueca: Chueca is known as the main gay village
of Madrid
Las Cortes: This district is small in size. The most important sites include Spanish parliament buildings of the lower house Congreso de los Diputados. It also includes one of the three museums of the Madrid golden triangle, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. In addition, we find the highly ornate Banco de España
, the Café del Círculo de Bellas Artes, the Zarzuela theater and the Plaza de Cibeles
.
Huertas: (or Barrio de las letras) A neighborhood west of Paseo del Prado, north of Calle Atocha. Famous for being the "literary" neighborhood of Madrid where many famous writers lived or spent their free time. One of the prominent landmarks is the house of Cervantes where he died in 1616. In the last years, it became a nightlife mecca with thousands of Madrileños and tourists walking around and bar-hopping along Calle de las Huertas and Plaza Santa Ana. The latter is now a major nightlife spot.
Gran Vía : As the name implies, the Gran Vía district contains one of Madrid's most important avenues, the Gran Vía (literally, "Great Way"). First and foremost it is a shopping street; however it also contains a number of tourist accommodations, plenty of nightlife (all of Madrid's large goth
scene gravitates around Gran Via, for instance), many of Madrid's largest movie theaters and live musical shows. It is also a hub for Madrid's red-light district
, linking as it does many side streets. One of these streets, Fuencarral
has become a link between the old shopping areas of the center of the city, the Bohemian Malasaña, and the hip Chueca district, making of it one of the most cosmopolitan areas of the city.
Lavapiés
: Traditionally one of the poorer neighborhoods near the city center, this district has maintained much of true 'Madrileño' spirit of the past. Lavapiés is one of the areas with a high concentration of immigrants (mainly Chinese, Arabs, Hindi, Africans and Caribbeans), and also tends to attract artists and writers adding to the cosmopolitan mix. The presence of immigrants has led to an inevitable variety of shops and restaurants - this is a good place for good and cheap restaurants of local and international food. It's also one of the best places to search for non-Spanish foodstuff, (herbs and spices etc.)
La Latina: In and around this area are the origins of Madrid. Its difficult to put precise boundaries on La Latina, because, like its immediate neighbors, streets are narrow and winding. There are quite a few nightlife spots, though the neighborhood is best known as having one of the best concentrations of tapas
bars (particularly on the Cava Baja and Cava Alta). There are also a number of attractive churches, like the Iglesia de San Andres and the Iglesia de San Francisco el Grande,. On Sundays and major holidays, the famous Rastro flea-market begins on the eastern edge of La Latina, spilling out of the San Millan exit of the La Latina metro stop to the Plaza de Cascorro all the way to the Ronda de Toledo to the south. Plaza de la Paja is another interesting and entertaining spot of this neighborhood. On the other side, La Latina borders with Plaza Mayor and another ancient part of the town, Los Austrias, where you can find the beautiful Palacio Real (Royal Palace).
Malasaña: This neighbourhood is famous for its nightlife, and for having been the main hub of the Movida in the 70s and 80s.
Opera: As the name implies, Madrid's main Opera Theatre is the Teatro Real
(Royal theatre). In front of the theatre is the Royal Palace. The Royal Palace is no longer used as a residence, but it has been kept intact since it last functioned as home to the King, serving as a cultural monument and occasionally used for state functions. The entire palace is not open to the public, but most of the more important rooms can be visited. The palace is interesting in its own right, in particular its architecture and gardens (there are two, the Jardines del Moro and the Sabattini gardens). There are also some excellent frescos inside the palace by Tiépolo, and paintings by Velázquez
, Goya, Rubens, El Greco
, Juan de Flandes
and Caravaggio
, among others. This palace is known for being one of larger palaces in Europe; it's actually larger than Versailles Palace.
Retiro: Barrio Retiro is a classic neighborhood surrounding the famous Retiro Park, to the east of the center of the city. It is demographically the oldest neighborhood in the city, however over the past 5 years the increasing number of flats put for rent have been attracting young people and students to the area in growing numbers, and the diversity of the gastronomical fare in the neighborhood reflects this. The neighborhood can be characterized by the style of its three most important areas; in the north part centering on the calle Ibiza, the streets are in a grid pattern and the buildings, normally 6-10 storeys, are packed closely together, creating a bustling atmosphere of small shops, bars, and restaurants. This area is very similar to the neighborhing Salamanca neighborhood. In the south, called Niño Jesus, the area is quieter, more spacious, and residential. To the west of the park (but still included within the parameters of Barrio Retiro) is the Jerónimos area, an area of beautiful 18th and 19th century buildings and many museums (including the Prado). This area, however, has few private residences, the large flats (often above 200 m²/2,150 sq ft) being mainly used for offices. Main article on Retiro Park: Retiro
Hortaleza: Is a residential district in the north. There's the Spanish Olympic Committee, the IFEMA (New Madrid Expo) and Juan Carlos I Park, a beautiful park between Campo de las Naciones (Commercial District inside Hortaleza) and Barajas. Mar de Cristal is the most important tube station in Hortaleza district because it's an airport connection.
Vallecas
: Vallecas is a working-class residential district in the south of Madrid. It is also home to the Rayo Vallecano
soccer team.
Aravaca: Aravaca
is an upper-class residential suburb in the northwest of Madrid. During the Spanish Civil War
the front was stabilized here for almost three years. Aravaca and its surroundings are plenty of parks and woods like Casa de Campo
.
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, the capital city of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, is politically organized with a division in 21 districts (distritos), which are further subdivided into 128 wards (barrios):. All districts are governed by an organ named Junta Municipal de Distrito.
Administrative division
Madrid is divided into 21 districts (distritos) and 129 wards (barrios).Districts and wards
- CentroCentro (Madrid)Centro is the central district of the city of Madrid, Spain. It is approximately 5,23 km² in size. It has a population of 148,714 and a population density of 28434,8/km².-Subdivision:The district is administratively divided into 6 wards :...
: Palacio, Embajadores, Cortes, Justicia, UniversidadMalasañaMalasaña is an area of Madrid famous for its creative, countercultural scene. Centred around Plaza de Dos de Mayo, it is reminiscent of Camden Town in London, the East Village in New York City, however despite its similarities, Malasaña is a distinct neighbourhood.-Overview:Malasaña is to the west...
, Sol. - ArganzuelaArganzuelaArganzuela is one of the 21 districts of the city of Madrid, Spain.-Position:Arganzuela is located in central-southern Madrid, separated from Latina, Carabanchel and Usera by the river Manzanares...
: Imperial, AcaciasLas Acacias (Madrid)Las Acacias is a ward of Madrid belonging to the district of Arganzuela. Its code number is 22 and, as of 2006, its population was of 37,727.-Geography:...
, La Chopera, Legazpi, Delicias, Palos de Moguer, Atocha. - RetiroRetiro (Madrid)Retiro is a district located at the southeast of the city centre of Madrid, Spain. Its area is of 5.38 km2, the number of houses is 46,512 and the population, as of 2005, was of 126,058 .-History:...
: Pacífico, Adelfas, Estrella, Ibiza, Jerónimos, Niño Jesús. - SalamancaSalamanca (Madrid)Salamanca is one of the 21 districts that form the city of Madrid, Spain. Salamanca is located to the northeast of the historical center of Madrid.-Overview:...
: Recoletos, Goya, Parque de las Avenidas, Fuente del Berro, Guindalera, Lista, Castellana. - ChamartínChamartínChamartín is an administrative district of Madrid, Spain and consists of the following neighborhoods: El Viso, Prosperidad, Ciudad Jardín, Hispanoamérica, Nueva España, and Pza...
: El Viso, Prosperidad, Ciudad Jardín, Hispanoamérica, Nueva España, Castilla. - TetuánTetuán (Madrid)Tetuán is a district of Madrid, Spain. The district takes its name from Tetouan, Morocco. Which was the capital of the former Spanish protectorate in northern Morocco.-Subdivision:The district is administratively divided into 6 wards :...
: Bellas Vistas, Cuatro Caminos, Castillejos, Almenara, Valdeacederas, Berruguete. - Chamberí: Gaztambide, Arapiles, Trafalgar, Almagro, Vallehermoso, Ríos Rosas.
- Fuencarral-El Pardo: El PardoEl PardoThe Royal Palace of El Pardo is a historical building near Madrid, Spain, in the present-day district of Fuencarral-El Pardo. Owned by the Spanish state and administered by the Patrimonio Nacional agency, the palace began as a hunting lodge.-Overview:...
, Fuentelarreina, PeñagrandePeñagrandePeñagrande is a neighborhood to the north of Madrid's city centre, in the district of Fuencarral-El Pardo. Peñagrande is Madrid's 26th largest neighborhood in terms of land area, its 10th largest in population and 77th largest in population density....
, Barrio del Pilar, La Paz, Valverde, Mirasierra, El Goloso. - Moncloa-AravacaMoncloa-AravacaMoncloa-Aravaca is one of the 21 districts of the city of Madrid, Spain.-Subdivision:The district is administratively divided into 7 wards :*Aravaca*Argüelles*Casa de Campo*Ciudad Universitaria*El Plantío...
: Casa de CampoCasa de CampoThe Casa de Campo is the largest urban park situated west of central Madrid, . It was formerly a royal hunting estate. Its area is more than ....
, Argüelles, Ciudad Universitaria, Valdezarza, Valdemarín, El Plantío, AravacaAravacaAravaca is a barrio of the city of Madrid, in the Moncloa district. It is from the city centre, on the other side of Casa de Campo park. The population of the barrio is 29,547 , divided between three areas: Aravaca , Valdemarín and El Plantío -History:During the Spanish Civil War, Aravaca was on...
. - LatinaLatina (Madrid)Latina is one of the districts of Madrid. Different from La Latina area in the district of Centro, its name comes from Beatriz Galindo La Latina.-Position:...
: Los Cármenes, Puerta del Ángel, Lucero, AlucheAlucheAluche is a barrio of the city of Madrid, situated in the southwest of the city, in the Latina district. It is bounded by the barrios of Campamento, Las Águilas, Lucero, Los Cármenes, and the Carabanchel district. Casa de Campo is also nearby...
, Las Águilas, Campamento, Cuatro VientosCuatro VientosCuatro Vientos is a ward of Madrid belonging to the district of Latina.-Geography:Cuatro Vientos is situated in the south-western area of central Madrid, close to the motorways A5 and M40 and to the homonymous airport.-External links:...
. - CarabanchelCarabanchelCarabanchel is a district in the south western suburbs of Madrid, Spain.-Overview:The area was the scene of fierce fighting during the Spanish Civil War -especially in November 1936, during the Battle of Madrid, when Nationalist troops tried to fight their way into the area. Unacustomed to street...
: Abrantes, Buenavista, Comillas, Opañel, Puerta Bonita, San Isidro, Vista Alegre. - UseraUseraUsera is one of the 21 districts of the city of Madrid, Spain.-Subdivision:The district is administratively divided into 7 wards :*Almendrales*Moscardó*Orcasitas*Orcasur*Pradolongo*San Fermín*Zofío...
: Orcasitas, Orcasur, San Fermín, Almendrales, Moscardó, Zofío, Pradolongo. - Puente de VallecasPuente de VallecasPuente de Vallecas is one of the 21 districts of the city of Madrid, Spain. It forms, with the district of Villa de Vallecas, the geographical area of Vallecas.-Subdivision:...
: EntrevíasEntrevíasEntrevías is a neighborhood in the district of Puente de Vallecas in the southeastern portion of Madrid, Spain.According to the Instituto Nacional de Estadística, the population of Entrevías in 2006 was 37,790....
, San Diego, Palomeras Bajas, Palomeras Sureste, Portazgo, Numancia. - MoratalazMoratalazMoratalaz is a district of Madrid, Spain. It is a well known area because musicians such as Melendi and Alejandro Sanz have lived there. Moratalaz is on east of municipality of Madrid, it has 634.42 km² of surface area and is delineated by the highways of M-30 to the west, M-40 to the east, M23 to...
: Pavones, Horcajo, Marroquina, Media Legua, Fontarrón, Vinateros. - Ciudad LinealCiudad LinealCiudad Lineal is a district in Madrid .-Subdivision:The district is administratively divided into 9 wards :*Atalaya*Colina*Concepción*Pinar de Chamartín *Pueblo Nuevo*Quintana...
: Ventas, Pueblo Nuevo, Quintana, La Concepción, San Pascual, San Juan Bautista, Colina, Atalaya, Costillares. - HortalezaHortalezaHortaleza is one of the 21 districts of the city of Madrid, Spain.-Subdivision:The district is administratively divided into 6 wards :*Apóstol Santiago*Canillas*Palomas*Pinar del Rey*Piovera*Valdefuentes...
: Palomas, Valdefuentes, Canillas, Pinar del Rey, Apóstol Santiago, Piovera. - VillaverdeVillaverde (Madrid)Villaverde is one of the 21 districts of the city of Madrid, Spain.-Subdivision:The district is administratively divided into 5 wards :*Butarque*Los Ángeles*Los Rosales*San Cristóbal de los Ángeles*Villaverde Alto...
: San Andrés, San CristóbalSan Cristóbal de los ÁngelesSan Cristóbal de Los Ángeles is a neighborhood on the southern outskirts of Madrid, belonging to the working-class district of Villaverde. The growing immigration rate has boosted its population to 18,000 inhabitants.-Personalities:...
, Butarque, Los Rosales, Los Ángeles. - Villa de VallecasVilla de VallecasVilla de Vallecas is one of the 21 districts of the city of Madrid, Spain. It forms, with the district of Puente de Vallecas, the geographical area of Vallecas.-Subdivision:...
: Casco Histórico de Vallecas, Santa Eugenia. - VicálvaroVicálvaroVicálvaro is a district in the southeast of Madrid, Spain, and a former municipality in its own right.-History:When Spain's Civil Guard was established in 1844, the first headquarters of its cavalry was in Vicálvaro. Franco converted it into an artillery barracks for the Brunete Armored Division,...
: Casco Histórico de Vicálvaro, Ambroz. - San BlasSan Blas (Madrid)San Blas is a district at the east of Madrid's city centre. The population of the district is estimated in 149,909.-Subdivision:The district is administratively divided into 8 wards :*Amposta*Arcos*Canillejas*Hellín*Rejas*Rosas*Salvador...
: Simancas, Hellín, Amposta, Arcos, Rosas, Rejas, CanillejasCanillejasCanillejas is a suburb of Madrid, Spain, lying to the east of the city. It is located in San Blas district which formerly composed the old town of Canillejas that was annexed to Madrid in 1949. The Fiestas de Canillejas takes place from the 1 to 7 of September...
, Salvador. - BarajasBarajas (district)Barajas is the name of a district belonging to the city of Madrid, Spain.-Subdivision:The district is administratively divided into 5 wards :*Aeropuerto*Alameda de Osuna *Casco Histórico de Barajas...
: Alameda de Osuna, Aeropuerto, Casco Histórico de Barajas, Timón, Corralejos.
Popular Neighbourhoods
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
. With his death, Madrid, and Spain as a whole, began to reassert itself on the international stage. Within Spain, reaction against the dictatorial bureaucracy centered in Madrid and a history of centralism that predated Franco by centuries has resulted in the successful modern movement towards increased autonomy for the regions of Spain, considered as autonomous regions, under the umbrella of Spain.
Modern Madrid ranks as one of the most important cities in Europe. Madrid is a leading southern European city and the most important link between the European Union and Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
.
The modern metropolis is home to over three million people. As expected with any major European capital city, each district (or barrio
Barrio
Barrio is a Spanish word meaning district or neighborhood.-Usage:In its formal usage in English, barrios are generally considered cohesive places, sharing, for example, a church and traditions such as feast days...
in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
) has its own feel.
Some of the most well-known "barrios" in Madrid are:
Alonso Martínez: This district contains the large Plaza de Colón. This plaza commemorates Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
, who was responsible for ushering in the Spanish imperial golden age of the 16th and 17th centuries. It is within walking distance of the main cultural and commercial areas of the city such as the Prado museum, the expansive Parque del Buen Retiro
Parque del Buen Retiro
The Buen Retiro Park is the largest park of the city of Madrid, Spain...
as well as near the business center on the lower part of the Paseo de la Castellana.
Atocha: Atocha includes a rather large area which is bordered by the Huertas and Lavapiés districts. The two important sites located in this area are the Reina Sofía Museum
Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía
The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía is the official name of Spain's national museum of 20th century art . The museum was officially inaugurated on September 10, 1992 and is named for Queen Sofia of Spain...
and the Atocha Railway Station (which was the main object of the terrorist attacks carried out on March 11, 2004), one of the two main train stations in Madrid (the other one is Chamartín
Chamartín
Chamartín is an administrative district of Madrid, Spain and consists of the following neighborhoods: El Viso, Prosperidad, Ciudad Jardín, Hispanoamérica, Nueva España, and Pza...
). The area also contains a number of art galleries and restaurants serving traditional food. This district also contains the main bus terminal as it is a central point of the city. In addition, Atocha was the site of the 1977 Massacre of Atocha
1977 Massacre of Atocha
The 1977 Massacre of Atocha was a neo-fascist attack during the Spanish transition to democracy after the death of Franco in 1975, killing five and injuring four...
.
AZCA
Acronym for Asociación Mixta de Compensación de la Manzana A de la Zona Comercial de la Avenida del Generalísimo , in Madrid, Spain....
is the financial district. The area is populated by skyscrapers, among them Torre Picasso
Torre Picasso
Torre Picasso is a skyscraper in Madrid, Spain. From 1988 till 2007 it was the tallest building in Madrid with its 157 m and 43 floors. Torre Picasso is located next to the Pablo Picasso Square, within the commercial complex AZCA along the Paseo de la Castellana...
–157 metres (515 ft), Edificio BBVA–107 metres (351 ft) and Torre Europa
Puerta de Europa
The Puerta de Europa towers are twin office buildings in Madrid. The towers have a height of and have 26 floors. They were constructed from 1989 to 1996...
–115 metres (377 ft). Torre Windsor, one of the skyscrapers in this area, burnt entirely on the night between 12th and 13 February 2005 http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2005/graficos/feb/s3/windsorfotos.html. A very large (3 interconnected buildings) El Corte Inglés
El Corte Inglés
El Corte Inglés S.A. , headquartered in Madrid, is the biggest department store group in Europe and ranks fourth worldwide...
department store is also here. The area is directly linked to Barajas Airport by metro
Madrid Metro
The Madrid Metro is a metro system serving the city of Madrid, capital of Spain. The system is the sixth longest metro in the world though Madrid is approximately the fiftieth most populous metropolitan area in the world...
line 8 from Nuevos Ministerios station. It's the Parkour
Parkour
Parkour is a method of movement focused on moving around obstacles with speed and efficiency. Originally developed in France, the main purpose of the discipline is to teach participants how to move through their environment by vaulting, rolling, running, climbing and jumping...
centre of Madrid.
CTBA (Cuatro Torres Business Area) : The CTBA is the new financial district of Madrid, the area will be composed by four skyscrapers. The tallest of them is the Repsol tower (250 m/820 ft), designed by Sir Norman Foster
Norman Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank
Norman Robert Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank, OM is a British architect whose company maintains an international design practice, Foster + Partners....
. When they finish the construction of the building, it will be the tallest skyscraper in Spain and the 3rd in Europe. The second tallest skyscraper,'Crystal Tower', is only 0.6 metres (2 ft) lower than Repsol tower, with 249.4 metres (818.2 ft), it will be the 4th tallest skyscraper of Europe. This building has being designed by Cesar Pelli
César Pelli
César Pelli is an Argentine architect known for designing some of the world's tallest buildings and other major urban landmarks. In 1991, the American Institute of Architects listed Pelli among the ten most influential living American architects...
. The third tallest skyscraper is the 'Sacyr-Vallehermoso' tower with 235 metres (771 ft) and designed by Enrique Alvarez & Carlos Rubio. This building will have a 5 star hotel on the first 31 floors and will be the 5th tallest tower in Europe. Finally, the fourth building will be 'Espacio tower'. It is 223 metres (732 ft) long and it is designed by I.M. Pei. The four skyscrapers will be finished during 2008. Currently, the tallest tower is the 'Espacio Tower' because it is more advanced in construction than the other three towers.
Chueca: Chueca is known as the main gay village
Gay village
A gay village is an urban geographic location with generally recognized boundaries where a large number of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people live or frequent...
of Madrid
Las Cortes: This district is small in size. The most important sites include Spanish parliament buildings of the lower house Congreso de los Diputados. It also includes one of the three museums of the Madrid golden triangle, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. In addition, we find the highly ornate Banco de España
Banco de España
The Bank of Spain , is the national central bank of Spain. Established in Madrid in 1782 by Charles III, today the bank is a member of the European System of Central Banks.-History:...
, the Café del Círculo de Bellas Artes, the Zarzuela theater and the Plaza de Cibeles
Plaza de Cibeles
The Plaza de Cibeles is a square with a neo-classical complex of marble sculptures with fountains that has become an iconic symbol for the city of Madrid.-Cibeles Fountain:...
.
Huertas: (or Barrio de las letras) A neighborhood west of Paseo del Prado, north of Calle Atocha. Famous for being the "literary" neighborhood of Madrid where many famous writers lived or spent their free time. One of the prominent landmarks is the house of Cervantes where he died in 1616. In the last years, it became a nightlife mecca with thousands of Madrileños and tourists walking around and bar-hopping along Calle de las Huertas and Plaza Santa Ana. The latter is now a major nightlife spot.
Gran Vía : As the name implies, the Gran Vía district contains one of Madrid's most important avenues, the Gran Vía (literally, "Great Way"). First and foremost it is a shopping street; however it also contains a number of tourist accommodations, plenty of nightlife (all of Madrid's large goth
Goth subculture
The goth subculture is a contemporary subculture found in many countries. It began in England during the early 1980s in the gothic rock scene, an offshoot of the post-punk genre. The goth subculture has survived much longer than others of the same era, and has continued to diversify...
scene gravitates around Gran Via, for instance), many of Madrid's largest movie theaters and live musical shows. It is also a hub for Madrid's red-light district
Red-light district
A red-light district is a part of an urban area where there is a concentration of prostitution and sex-oriented businesses, such as sex shops, strip clubs, adult theaters, etc...
, linking as it does many side streets. One of these streets, Fuencarral
Fuencarral
Fuencarral is a neighborhood located in the northern part of Madrid, Spain. It includes the municipal area of the ancient town of Fuencarral, which was annexed to the city of Madrid by a decree of November 10, 1950. Administratively, Fuencarral belongs to the municipal district of Valverde in the...
has become a link between the old shopping areas of the center of the city, the Bohemian Malasaña, and the hip Chueca district, making of it one of the most cosmopolitan areas of the city.
Lavapiés
Lavapiés
Lavapiés is a central neighbourhood of the city of Madrid, centered on Plaza de Lavapiés.It was the Jewish quarter of the city until the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492, the church of San Lorenzo being built on the former site of the synagogue...
: Traditionally one of the poorer neighborhoods near the city center, this district has maintained much of true 'Madrileño' spirit of the past. Lavapiés is one of the areas with a high concentration of immigrants (mainly Chinese, Arabs, Hindi, Africans and Caribbeans), and also tends to attract artists and writers adding to the cosmopolitan mix. The presence of immigrants has led to an inevitable variety of shops and restaurants - this is a good place for good and cheap restaurants of local and international food. It's also one of the best places to search for non-Spanish foodstuff, (herbs and spices etc.)
La Latina: In and around this area are the origins of Madrid. Its difficult to put precise boundaries on La Latina, because, like its immediate neighbors, streets are narrow and winding. There are quite a few nightlife spots, though the neighborhood is best known as having one of the best concentrations of tapas
Tapas
Tapas are a wide variety of appetizers, or snacks, in Spanish cuisine. They may be cold or warm ....
bars (particularly on the Cava Baja and Cava Alta). There are also a number of attractive churches, like the Iglesia de San Andres and the Iglesia de San Francisco el Grande,. On Sundays and major holidays, the famous Rastro flea-market begins on the eastern edge of La Latina, spilling out of the San Millan exit of the La Latina metro stop to the Plaza de Cascorro all the way to the Ronda de Toledo to the south. Plaza de la Paja is another interesting and entertaining spot of this neighborhood. On the other side, La Latina borders with Plaza Mayor and another ancient part of the town, Los Austrias, where you can find the beautiful Palacio Real (Royal Palace).
Malasaña: This neighbourhood is famous for its nightlife, and for having been the main hub of the Movida in the 70s and 80s.
Opera: As the name implies, Madrid's main Opera Theatre is the Teatro Real
Teatro Real
The Teatro Real or simply El Real , is a major opera house located in Madrid, Spain.-History:...
(Royal theatre). In front of the theatre is the Royal Palace. The Royal Palace is no longer used as a residence, but it has been kept intact since it last functioned as home to the King, serving as a cultural monument and occasionally used for state functions. The entire palace is not open to the public, but most of the more important rooms can be visited. The palace is interesting in its own right, in particular its architecture and gardens (there are two, the Jardines del Moro and the Sabattini gardens). There are also some excellent frescos inside the palace by Tiépolo, and paintings by Velázquez
Diego Velázquez
Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez was a Spanish painter who was the leading artist in the court of King Philip IV. He was an individualistic artist of the contemporary Baroque period, important as a portrait artist...
, Goya, Rubens, El Greco
El Greco
El Greco was a painter, sculptor and architect of the Spanish Renaissance. "El Greco" was a nickname, a reference to his ethnic Greek origin, and the artist normally signed his paintings with his full birth name in Greek letters, Δομήνικος Θεοτοκόπουλος .El Greco was born on Crete, which was at...
, Juan de Flandes
Juan de Flandes
Juan de Flandes was an Early Netherlandish painter who was active in Spain from 1496 to 1519; his actual name is unknown, although an inscription Juan Astrat on the back of one work suggests a name such as "Jan van der Staat"...
and Caravaggio
Caravaggio
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio was an Italian artist active in Rome, Naples, Malta, and Sicily between 1593 and 1610. His paintings, which combine a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting, had a formative influence on the Baroque...
, among others. This palace is known for being one of larger palaces in Europe; it's actually larger than Versailles Palace.
Retiro: Barrio Retiro is a classic neighborhood surrounding the famous Retiro Park, to the east of the center of the city. It is demographically the oldest neighborhood in the city, however over the past 5 years the increasing number of flats put for rent have been attracting young people and students to the area in growing numbers, and the diversity of the gastronomical fare in the neighborhood reflects this. The neighborhood can be characterized by the style of its three most important areas; in the north part centering on the calle Ibiza, the streets are in a grid pattern and the buildings, normally 6-10 storeys, are packed closely together, creating a bustling atmosphere of small shops, bars, and restaurants. This area is very similar to the neighborhing Salamanca neighborhood. In the south, called Niño Jesus, the area is quieter, more spacious, and residential. To the west of the park (but still included within the parameters of Barrio Retiro) is the Jerónimos area, an area of beautiful 18th and 19th century buildings and many museums (including the Prado). This area, however, has few private residences, the large flats (often above 200 m²/2,150 sq ft) being mainly used for offices. Main article on Retiro Park: Retiro
Parque del Buen Retiro
The Buen Retiro Park is the largest park of the city of Madrid, Spain...
Hortaleza: Is a residential district in the north. There's the Spanish Olympic Committee, the IFEMA (New Madrid Expo) and Juan Carlos I Park, a beautiful park between Campo de las Naciones (Commercial District inside Hortaleza) and Barajas. Mar de Cristal is the most important tube station in Hortaleza district because it's an airport connection.
Vallecas
Vallecas
Vallecas is a neighborhood of Madrid composed of two districts: Puente de Vallecas and Villa de Vallecas...
: Vallecas is a working-class residential district in the south of Madrid. It is also home to the Rayo Vallecano
Rayo Vallecano
Rayo Vallecano de Madrid, S.A.D., often abbreviated to Rayo, is a Spanish football team based in Madrid, in the neighbourhood of Vallecas...
soccer team.
Aravaca: Aravaca
Aravaca
Aravaca is a barrio of the city of Madrid, in the Moncloa district. It is from the city centre, on the other side of Casa de Campo park. The population of the barrio is 29,547 , divided between three areas: Aravaca , Valdemarín and El Plantío -History:During the Spanish Civil War, Aravaca was on...
is an upper-class residential suburb in the northwest of Madrid. During the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
the front was stabilized here for almost three years. Aravaca and its surroundings are plenty of parks and woods like Casa de Campo
Casa de Campo
The Casa de Campo is the largest urban park situated west of central Madrid, . It was formerly a royal hunting estate. Its area is more than ....
.