Return to Madrid photos

While Madrid is the capital of Spain and its largest city, and while it is an attractive and vibrant city, it may not rank as the most exciting or beautiful city in Spain. Long considered to be a "duty" for travelers, so that they could visit the Prado (one of the most important art museums in the world, housing over 7,000 paintings), the city has come alive since the death of Franco, and boasts much more than history. Unfortunately, the weather was not cooperative—rain and fog—and so there are only three pictures, which number does not do justice to this great city.

The Palacio Real (Royal Palace) was begun in 1737 on the site of the Madrid Alcazar (Muslim fortress) which had burned 3 years earlier. Charles III called its 2,000 rooms home during his reign, and it was used by successive kings through 1931. The rooms are stuffed (literally) with art treasures, highlighted by dozens of huge Flemish and Spanish tapestries, many from 15C. The palace also houses the largest collection of armor in Spain, and the extensive royal hunting grounds and gardens (Campo del Moro) house a royal carriage museum and the municipal zoo.

Just across a formal garden from the Palace is the modern Opera House, shown here. The other picture is of the monument to Cervantes, showing Don Quixote and Pancho, in the famous Plaza de Espana. Not shown are many plazas, most more beautiful than this one. Time was short in Madrid, but we made the most of it by visiting three nearby cities, all jewels: Avila, Segovia, and Toledo.

The ancient city of Avila (AH-vila) is completely encircled by well-preserved 11C walls, among the most important medieval relics in Europe. The city has been declared a national landmark. Again because of weather and short time, there are only two pictures: the Romanesque-Gothic Cathedral (begun 1099) built into the ramparts of the city and marked by its distinctive red-and-white stone pillars, and a view of the city's famed Roman walls, which are almost 2,000 years old but look almost brand new.

Segovia is a unique jewel in the Spanish crown. In this Castilian city Isabella was proclaimed Queen of Castile in 1474. The city features an enormous aqueduct, built by the Romans almost 2,000 years ago and still carrying water today. Constructed of mortarless granite, it consists of 118 arches and reaches as high as 95 feet. While it is obviously undergoing repairs today, it stands essentially as strong as it was when it was built at the time of Christ.

The Alcazar (fortress or castle) of Segovia is imposing and beautiful in its starkness. The castle dates to 12C, but a large portion was destroyed by fire in 1862, and is undergoing reconstruction. It is here that Isabella first met Ferdinand. Isabella, who was Queen of Castile, was unique in that, with her marriage to Ferdinand, King of Aragon, she did not surrender one whit of her power or standing. The thrones for the two monarchs are in every location equal in size and decoration. Isabella was the chief force in the decision to send Columbus to the new world. This union was probably the most important and beneficial in the illustrious history of Spain—indeed, for the New World.