On a sunny windy cool day of Spring I look back in my blog and saw some nice older pictures not in ; my mind took a nice walk on some of these wonderful streets of always in a wonderful city like Madrid, heavens! This is the city that I spread my wings sort of speak when at an early teen in town, and eager to learn all of it, took me to many places, Some more than others but all wonderful memories of youth that been lucky to relive for many years and introduce them to my family, Therefore, here is my new take on the streets of Madrid ,part V !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
Of course, needed to start and tell you again about the Calle de Alcalà, again, this was the street I lived with my mom at No 331 2do A , just off the entrance to metro Quintana line 5 !!! . A bit on the street, you have where Gran Vía ends at the Metropolis Building, Calle de Alcalá picks up and continues the stream of magnificent architecture, from the buzzing Puerta del Sol to the picture-perfect Palacio de Cibeles with its rooftop lounge. Along the way you can enjoy the city’s most stunning views from the rooftop terrace of the Círculo de Bellas Artes, as well as from the impressive Banco de España building. The longest street in Madrid, it starts at the Puerta del Sol and goes on for 10.5 km, to the northeastern outskirts of the city. Along this street it is possible to find landmarks such as Banco Bilbao Vizcaya at number 16, the former Alcalá 20 discothèque at number 20, Edificio Metrópolis, the Unión y el Fénix Español building at number 23, Círculo de Bellas Artes, Plaza de Cibeles, Puerta de Alcalá, the Spanish Ministry of Education, the Instituto Cervantes HQ building, the Bank of Spain building, Parque del Buen Retiro and Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas. Stunning indeed !!!
Moving onwards to 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 , that is in the former Palacio de Fomento.
You go north pas Cibeles and paseo de Recoletos to enter the Paseo de la Castellana , commonly known as La Castellana, is one of the longest and widest avenues of Madrid. It is named after an old fountain that used to exist in Plaza de Castilla. It starts at Plaza de Colón, passes through the Nuevos Ministerios, Plaza de Lima, Plaza de Cuzco, Plaza de Castilla, and ends near the Nudo Norte (North Junction), connecting with the M-30 and the road to Colmenar Viejo. The Paseo de la Castellana is the continuation of Paseo de Recoletos and Paseo del Prado, and these three avenues vertebrate the north-south axis of the city. Here you have the supreme Estadio Santiago Bernabeu,home of the best of all times, Real Madrid CF !!!
You take a slight cut across town into the Calle Bailén, this street offers the most spectacular views of downtown Madrid. Starting from Plaza de España, it takes you past the idyllic Jardines de Sabatini to the stunning Plaza de Oriente, situated between the Palacio Real and the Teatro Real. It’s a romantic backdrop for a picnic, and you might be lucky enough to catch some excellent street musicians. Take a look inside the colourful and modern Almudena Cathedral, cross the viaduct and end your walk at the often overlooked Real Basílica de San Francisco el Grande.
You will come deep into old Madrid at the Plaza de Santa Cruz or Holy Cross square that 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. You can see the Church of Santa Cruz. 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 Napoleon’s France 1808-1812), 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!
Right back in Centro you have the Calle de Bordadores, formerly called Calle San Ginés, due the location of the Church San Ginés de Arlés, and it joins Calle Mayor with Calle Arenal. On the street the embroiders had their stores in silks before and changed their name to the current one. There are no embroiders anymore, but a large number of stores selling religious items and figures to mount the Bethlehem. Also,coins, stamps and Christmas stores. This is because it has philately and numismatic stores with very competitive prices being a perfect gift for fans of these genres. On the street is also, the delicious Viena Capellanes at No 9 , a bakery !
Going into the old nice Madrid you arrive at the Calle del Maestro Victoria ,it begins in the Plaza del Celenque, near Calle Arenal, and ends at Calle Preciados. At the beginning the street has been expanded (probably due to the construction of the El Corte Inglés building), creating a place. In this street you can find some favorite stores such as Casa del Libro, or El Corte Inglés. The street is mostly pedestrian, being only allowed entry from Calle Misericordia, to go back down the same street, being able to tour the Plaza del Celenque, and the Calle Tetuán and Calle Tahona de las Descalzas. The Calle del Maestro Victoria has received several names throughout its history until 1941. It was originally called Calle de Caplanes (1835-1901) for the rooms they had in the Calle los Capellanes del Convento de las Descalzas Reales or chaplains of the convent of the royal barefoot. Subsequently, in 1901, it was called Calle Mariana Pineda (1901-1941),a women sentenced to death by the embroidery of the liberal flag, to finally in 1941 acquire the name of Maestro Victoria. Its current name is due to the composer Tomás Luis de la Victoria, who resided and died in the house of the Capellanes and is considered one of the greats of universal art. Curiosities by the street you have nearby, in Calle Misericordia lived Pío Baroja (writer Generation 98) who owned the Tahona Vienna Caplalanes in which he would give rise to the Pasteleria Vienna Capellanes chain. From 1850 to 1968 the Capellanes Theater was located here.
Moving by the Plaza Mayor, you have the Calle deToledo, which was the old access of various goods and food from the province to the town. The street begins in the Plaza Mayor by the arco de Cofreros, reaches the Puerta de Toledo and continues to the Glorieta de Piràmides where it ends, linking with the Puente de Toledo in the old road that led to the city of Toledo. The peasants of the province accessed the street taking their merchandise to the interior markets such as the Mercados de la Cebada and San Miguel. It runs from its beginnings parallel to the Rastro of Madrid flea market. It had among its buildings the palacio de los condes de Humanes, the conde de Lerena , in 1630 lived on Calle Alonso Jerónimo de Salas Barbadillo at the height of Calle de la Colegiata. The portal of Cofreros, the Collegiate of San Isidro, and the Royal Studies of San Isidro, which occupy the old dependencies of the Imperial College, are the only buildings of historical-artistic interest of the time of the Austrias that have been conserved, in addition to “La Fuentecilla”, raised in tribute to Fernando VII of Spain in the beginning of Calle Arganzuela in 1814. I must add one of parkings over the year is under the plaza Mayor.
The Calle de Buenavista is located between the streets of Calle Santa Isabel and Calle de la Fé. The story goes that on this street the Castellanos family had its residence, a moor of whose members removed an image of the Virgin in Algeciras. The family reacted by crossing the moor’s chest with an arrow, so accurate that since then he was nicknamed Buenavista or good sight. And the image of the Virgin became Our Lady of Buenavista or the Castellanos. In the Chapel of the Madrid house of the Castellanos the image was long kept, leaving its name to the street. Then she was venerated in the former church of La Trinidad, on Calle de Atocha, and in the 19C, another component of the family, the writer Basilio Sebastián Castellanos, paid from his pocket the transfer of the image to the Church of Chamberí.
The Calle de Zurita begins in the Calle de Santa Isabel and ends on the Calle de Argumosa. The story goes that a Jerónimo de Zurita, a canonist and historian of the kingdom of Aragon, the street was given his name. In the steep street there is the Teatro del Barrio theater at No 20 , in a place in the past occupied by the Sala Triangulo or Triangle room.
The Madrid tourist office : https://www.esmadrid.com/en
The Madrid tourist office on maps and guides for the city : https://www.esmadrid.com/en/maps-and-essential-guides
There you go folks , a bit more of architecture and history wonders on the streets of my dear Madrid. Walking any city is great and in Madrid it is sublime !!! Again, hope you enjoy the post on the streets of Madrid ,part V !!! as I
And remember, happy travels , good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 