And so opportune that now when the going out is restricted I remember the glorious walks in my Madrid! Of course one of my favorite cities and the world and having lived there is sublime. i have written many posts on the city and its streets, this is another one.
Let me show you more streets of my Madrid, always Madrid Fuerza Madrid!!! I must say not only walk but drove on this promenade many times and especially the last few years coming into my Madrid by car.
The Paseo de la Reina Cristina is the segregation of the land of the Olivar de Atocha (olives field) carried out by creating a new avenue, named after Queen Cristina, tangentially drawn to the Basilica of Atocha and, then, already proposed as one of the main access roads to the city . In this urban operation, some historical and emblematic buildings of the city are located , such as the Basilica of Our Lady of Atocha, whose origin dates back to 1523 with the foundation of the convent dedicated to this virgin, although previously there was a hermitage in this place. where the Virgin of Atocha was venerated. In 1836, with the confiscation of Mendizábal, only the church was preserved from the primitive building and where the quarters of the convent were located, the Cuartel de Invalidos or barracks of invalids was built. In 1890, taking advantage of the fact that the basilica was going to be rebuilt, it was decided to locate a Pantheon of Illustrious Men on the site of the old barracks, with the intention that the mortal remains of the most famous Spaniards in history would rest there. Today you can visit the Basilica of Atocha, where the remains of Fray Bartolomé de las Casas, protector of the Indians (Americas), and the Pantheon of Illustrious Men, where, among others, are the remains of Canovas del Castillo, Sagasta and Canalejas in beautiful graves. Next to the Basilica is the Royal Tapestry Factory and its museum. The building where it is located was built between 1889 and 1891 but its antiquity dates back to 1720 and then it was in front of the Puerta de Santa Bárbara – today Plaza de Alonso Martínez-, hence the name of the Royal Tapestry Factory of Santa Bárbara. In this museum you can see the works that Francisco de Goya carried out commissioned by Cornelio Vandergoten, a collection of 41 invaluable tapestries, in addition to numerous cartons, sketches, carpets and tapestries by other great masters. This street continues as the Paseo de la Infanta Isabel and later the Avenida de la Ciudad de Barcelona leading to Atocha train station.
What is best here is the Basilica de Nuestra Señora de Atocha: Tourist office of Madrid on the Basilica
And the Royal Tapestry Factory: Tourist office of Madrid on the Royal Tapestry
And the Pantheon of Illustrious Men: Tourist office of Madrid on the Pantheon
This one is in old Madrid, beautiful area for walks recommended.
The Plaza de la Provincia (province square) is located in the Sol neighborhood, in the Centro district. From this square the ancient Calle Atocha starts towards the Plaza Jacinto Benavente square, while on the opposite side Calle Gerona , which enters the Plaza Mayor, and the Calle Imperial, which leaves towards the La Latina neighborhood. To the north, the square extends to the neighboring Plaza de Santa Cruz, and from there you can go down Calle Esparteros to Calle Mayor, a few steps from Puerta del Sol.
It is known by this name since the construction on its side of the Palace of Santa Cruz, built in 1636 and prison of the Court and headquarters of the Provincial Notaries. On the opposite side of the palace was the ancient parish of Santa Cruz, which disappeared in 1869, and which separated this square from that of La Leña, today the Plaza de Santa Cruz. The location of this square corresponds to the old Arrabal de Santa Cruz, in the Lagunas de Luján where the Plaza Mayor of the town finally settled. From this square, Calle Atocha, one of the most traditional in Madrid, starts. In the center of the square there is a fountain called the Orfeos or Orpheus fountain, which was built in the first third of the 17C and dismantled in the 19C. It was transferred to the National Archaeological Museum, where it remains. A reproduction made at the end of the 20C is currently on display. A monolith located a few meters from the fountain, in front of the Palacio de Santa Cruz, which commemorates Spain’s accession to the European Union on January 1, 1986. It is a large gratin stone, curved at the front and angled on the back, sitting directly on the ground and with the incised inscription occupying the main face.
The Orpheus fountain here at tourist office of Madrid: Tourist office of Madrid on Orpheus fountain
And the Palace of Santa Cruz: Toursit office of Madrid on the Palace Santa Cruz
Can’t get any better than this one, sublime walks folks
The Plaza de Santa Cruz is a point of intersection of the Calle Esparteros, Calle San Cristóbal, Calle Zaragoza, the Plaza de la Provincia by the end of Calle de Atocha and beginning of Plaza Mayor by one of its deviated arches; and Calle de la Bolsa.
The Plaza de Santa Cruz square existed during the reign of king Felipe II being a glass market space. The name of the square is inherited from the old parish of Santa Cruz, the ground floor of which reached the square and the current calle de la Bolsa. The monastery of San Tomás was located in the square. At the beginning of the 19C, the square appeared as a street market for pasiegos or sellers of fabrics were the so-called secondhand clothing dealers. After the War of Independence (vs France), the square became a place for offering and contracting the service for wet nurses, who curiously are also from the Pasiegos valleys. The palace of Santa Cruz ;current Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation was a former Court Jail. During the 18C it was called the Overseas Ministry. At the end of the century, the lost by Spain to the colonies of Cuba and the Philippines, the property was left without embassy functions. This is really by above square but they are interconnected for a great walk!
The tourist office of Madrid on the parish of Santa Cruz: Tourist office of Madrid on the Parish of Santa Cruz
And the one almost everybody comes to for transports, without realising the history behind it or the monuments around it.
The Plaza del Emperador Carlos V (emperor Charles V square) is a roundabout where the Paseo del Prado, Calle de Atocha, Calle de Santa Isabel, Ronda de Atocha, Paseo de Santa María de la Cabeza, Paseo de las Delicias, Calle de Méndez Álvaro, Paseo de María Cristina and Avenida Ciudad de Barcelona connects. Until 1941 it had the name of Plaza de Atocha or roundabout of Atocha, names by which it is still known. It gave its name to the Mediodia (noon) or Atocha station, the main railway station in Madrid. In this square there is also the Reina Sofía National Art Center Museum , that is in the former General Hospital, and the Ministry of Agriculture (Palacio de Fomento).
It owes its name to the Puerta de Atocha demolished in 1850 ,which was located where a replica of the fuente de la Alcachofa (fountain of the Artichoke) was later placed at the Retiro park, where it is today at Plaza de Honduras. There is a replica at the square today see picture. In 1941 the roundabout was given the current name to avoid duplication or confusion with Calle de Atocha. On one side of the roundabout, the Atocha station has stood since 1892. In front of the Cuesta de Moyano (Madrid book fair and stands are today) hill is the statue of Claudio Moyano. As an alternative to the traffic problem, an underpass was built between the Ronda de Valencia and the Paseo de María Cristina, under the square and the cercanias train tracks of the Tunel de la Risa (laughter tunnel).
The Atocha train station at Madrid tourist office: Tourist office of Madrid on Atocha train station at Carlos V
And the Reina Sofia museum: Tourist office of Madrid on the Reina Sofia
And the Palacio de Fomento: Tourist office of Madrid on the Ministry of Agriculture
And last, but never the least and never forgotten is my square where i lived across the street. I believe have written on it briefly but will give you more here to be shown a different view of my Madrid, one away from the tourist hordes in off the beaten path way indeed. Let me tell you about my Plaza de Quintana, along Calle de Alcalà, metro line 5 neighborhood of Quintana in the Ciudad Lineal district!
The place where it is located once belonged to a Timoteo Damián and was expropriated in the 1940s for urban reasons in order to eliminate the existing curve of Calle de Alcalá, but in the end this was never done and the fate of the Timoteo’s estate was to host the Plaza de Quintana as we see it today, a pedestrian area surrounded by shops and open on one side to Calle de Alcalá. At no 292 on Calle de Alcalá we find the Parroquia de Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Fàtima or the Parish of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima, presided over by the crowned image of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima. The Nuestra Señora de Fátima school has an annex. On October 13, 1951, the emblematic date of the dialogue between the Virgin and the children, the high altar was blessed. On October 12, 2000, Cardinal Rouco Varela, being the pastor of Jesús García Jiménez, canonically crowned Our Lady. My church!
In the Plaza de Quintana, there is the Bar Docamar, famous for its patatas bravas since 1963, with several awards and mentions in television programs and by food critics. This was my main resto bar in the area I lived across the street in same Calle de Alcalà! Recommended webpage here: Bar Docamar Plaza de Quintana
In the Plaza de Quintana, on Sunday mornings a sort of market for the trading of stickers, coins, stamps and other more or less childish barter elements has been meeting for a quarter of a century. Even if most of the pieces are not vintage , ephemeral enthusiasts , collectable posters dating from the 20C and 21C are starting to find real little treasures. It is probably among the most popular markets in its category in Spain, even ahead of the Rastro de Madrid. Yes we traded football players cards!!!
And asi asi de bonita es mi Madrid, like that pretty is my Madrid! Sublime walks who wants to be underground! See the beautiful architecture and history abound in all these streets of yesteryear ,today ,and hopefully forever in Madrid. Hope you have enjoy the walk!
For info the tourist office of Madrid in English: Tourist office of Madrid
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!
ps. Bear in mind , many of these monuments already have a separate blog post for them.
Paris1972-Versailles2003 