OLD MADRID (Part I).-

"You will recognize after the real "cat" - as the locals call themselves - for not wondering where are you from ", something that take with great pride the most authentic.

Al-Magrit was the name that had the city when it was only a fortified Moslem establishment (700 - 1.202), from where they were repelling the enemies in defense of the Faction of Toledo; it went on to Christian hands from the battle of the Plain mountains of Toulouse (in Arab: battle of Al-Ucab). It is a Town and Court from 1.561 with Felipe II.

At present Madrid is the capital of the Kingdom of Spain and head office of the Government of the Nation, in addition to being an Autonomous region in yes same. With an entire surface of 605,76 km2 and with more than 3.200.000 inhabitants, turning her in the third city most filled with the Union Europe.

Madrid has many faces and histories. In this occasion, we will speak about Madrid of the Austrias, called this way due to the Austrian origin of the dynasty of the Habsburgo (Felipe II 1.561 - Carlos II 1.700), in whose reigns cardinal Madrid of the Empire did to, his expansion and as such modernization. Fruit of this historical stage was gestated by the big works of the literature, painting, civil, religious architecture and sculptress of the so called Century of Spanish Gold.

The enclosures and monuments more excellent that during the dynasty of the Austrias grew, called on or erected in Madrid and that we can still admire are: The Biggest Square, The houses of the baker's and of the butcher's shop, The equestrian statue of felipe III, The Square of the Town, The Casón of the good Retirement, The Garden of the Retirement, The square of the Straw, the precincts of the bridge of Segovia, House of seven chimneys, current transfers of the department of Culture, the Palace of the Advices located between the Biggest street and Bailén, The collegiate church of san Isidro in the current street Toledo dedicated to the Boss of the City San Isidro Labrador, the Real Monastery of the Embodiment, the convent of The Pansies, the Church of San Andrés, where the boss of the city was baptized: San Isidro. The equestrian statue of Felipe IV, realized by Pedro Tacca, the first one of the world in be supporting in his fourth bottoms, with advice of the very same Galileo Galilei, between many other attractions.

Since we see Madrid of the Austrias it has many places that to see, that's why we are going to speak about them in four deliveries. In this occasion we will centre on the part this, south on this one, who understands the streets: Street of Alcala, Retirement, Street of Atocha, Square Jacinto Benabente, Keeps silent about Wagons and we will always end in The Puerta del Sol. See the dynamic map of this delivery pulsating here

This Madrid of course, it offers a more current face in his activities to all the cultures. One of these they are the meetings of exchange of languages that Antoine organizes in the city for more or less 15 years, free meetings in which persons of diverse nationalities give themselves appointment weekly, in some other places of the center of Madrid.

Next delivery: MADRID OF THE AUSTRIAS the 2nd Part