A Madrid History Lesson
The Medieval Madrid
Madrid is definitely one of the most beautiful cities in the world; it is also a city with a very rich history, which attracts millions of people from all the corners of the Globe. The medieval Madrid dates back to the 14th and the 15th centuries;
these are the centuries when some of the most important areas of the city appeared: it is the case of Calle Mayor, Villa Square and the famous Puerta Del Sol. Two beautiful buildings hosted by the spectacular Villa Square appeared in the same age: the Lujanes Tower and the Casa.
The Tower is very famous especially among Spaniards because it is the place where King Francis I was imprisoned. If you look to the right, you will see one of the most beautiful buildings in Madrid, a building that has an outstanding Mudejar doorway and which is famous for hosting 70,000 volumes that contain newspapers, which were printed in the 18th and the 19th centuries.
Another monument that reminds tourists of the flourishing era of Madrid is the San Nicolas Servitas Church, the oldest one in the city, which stands out thanks to the spectacular Moorish Tower that drives the attention towards the period when Spain was under Arab rule.
Madrid and the period of the Habsburgs
When Madrid was ruled by the strong House of Austria, during the 16th and the 17th centuries, it suffered a series of important transformations, especially architecturally speaking. Many of the buildings built during the Habsburgs still live today, making Madrid such an attractive city.
Most of the important buildings constructed in this period can be found in the fantastic Plaza Mayor or at least around it. Many events in public life were held in the Plaza Mayor, such as the popular bullfight from the horseback or the cruel punishments of those who were considered to have broken the rules of the Inquisition.
Other monuments, most of which play an important role in the architectural life of Madrid, were also built during this age: the San Isidro Cathedral, the bridge that crosses the beautiful Manzanares River, the Cisneros Casa, the imposing Town Hall, and even the Bishop’s Chapel.
Both the Medieval and the Habsburg period brought important changes to Madrid, but it is these changes that made the city so famous and popular among tourists from all over the world.