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= Madrid = | = Madrid = | ||
+ | {{pright|''¡Madrid, Madrid! Le prix que je paye, c'est encore quelques heures sans sommeil,<br> pour me souvenir de toi.''<br>[[Nilda Fernández]].}} | ||
'''''Madrid''''' is the capital of [[Spain]] and of the [[Comunidad de Madrid|eponymous autonomous community]]. | '''''Madrid''''' is the capital of [[Spain]] and of the [[Comunidad de Madrid|eponymous autonomous community]]. | ||
− | + | <center><wz tip="View of Madrid from the Faro de Moncloa, on 21 August 2018.">[[File:Madrid-21Aug18.jpg|750px]]</wz></center> | |
− | + | ||
− | <center><wz tip="View of Madrid from the | + | |
The satellite view below show the extent of the city center from the ''Palacio Real'' on the left to ''el Retiro'' on the right. Cutting the city in two like a river, the aptly named ''calle Mayor'' meets with the ''Puerta del sol'' after it grazed by the imposing ''[[Plaza mayor]]'' (another gigantic depletion in the layout of roofs after ''Sol'' itself), and continues afterwards now as the never ending ''calle de Alcala'' through the famous ''Cibeles''. Less visible although much bigger, this pattern is repeated by the ''Gran Via'' in a northern branch of a Y. The two meet, again like two rivers, at a dull point overlooked by the ''Victoria Alada'' of the Metropolis building. The actual river, the ''Manzanares'', grazes the western part of the city as it falls from the mountains, in the distant north. | The satellite view below show the extent of the city center from the ''Palacio Real'' on the left to ''el Retiro'' on the right. Cutting the city in two like a river, the aptly named ''calle Mayor'' meets with the ''Puerta del sol'' after it grazed by the imposing ''[[Plaza mayor]]'' (another gigantic depletion in the layout of roofs after ''Sol'' itself), and continues afterwards now as the never ending ''calle de Alcala'' through the famous ''Cibeles''. Less visible although much bigger, this pattern is repeated by the ''Gran Via'' in a northern branch of a Y. The two meet, again like two rivers, at a dull point overlooked by the ''Victoria Alada'' of the Metropolis building. The actual river, the ''Manzanares'', grazes the western part of the city as it falls from the mountains, in the distant north. | ||
[[File:madrid-satellite.jpg|740px]] | [[File:madrid-satellite.jpg|740px]] | ||
+ | |||
+ | The panoramic view below was taken on {{thisday|17|May|2015}} from the [[Sierra_de_madrid#El_Cerro_de_San_Pedro.2C_in_the_springtime|Cerro de San Pedro]], the first mountain of the ''sierra de Guadarrama'', for the surveillance of which the city was built by the Arabs (click to open). You can see [[Tres Cantos]] at the bottom (partly cut) and the [[UAM|Universidad Autónoma]] along with other recognizable highlights of the capital (the four towers, Plaza Castilla, etc.) | ||
+ | |||
+ | <center><wz tip="View of Madrid from the Cerro de San Pedro, the first mountain of the Sierra.">[[File:resized_MadridPanoramaFromCerroSanPedro-10May2015.jpg|740px|link=http://laussy.org/images/7/73/Resized_MadridPanoramaFromCerroSanPedro-10May2015.jpg]]</wz></center> | ||
== Neighbourhoods == | == Neighbourhoods == | ||
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This is the central square of Madrid and, in a way, of [[Spain]] as a whole. Most cities have their ''Plaza Mayor'', With [[Salamanca]] ranking second for its specimen of importance and notability. | This is the central square of Madrid and, in a way, of [[Spain]] as a whole. Most cities have their ''Plaza Mayor'', With [[Salamanca]] ranking second for its specimen of importance and notability. | ||
− | + | From {{thisday|1|January|2014}}, we lived in [[Plaza Mayor]], on the side of the ''Casa de la Panadería''. We no longer reside there but kept the flat as one of our most cherished possession. | |
=== [[El Retiro]] === | === [[El Retiro]] === | ||
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Probably once the most beautiful place of Madrid, when it was marking the limits between the old city and the fields with its eponymous gate, now long gone, it became merely—not the heart, because it is not beating—but more properly, the hub of Madrid. It concentrates various important highlights of the city: | Probably once the most beautiful place of Madrid, when it was marking the limits between the old city and the fields with its eponymous gate, now long gone, it became merely—not the heart, because it is not beating—but more properly, the hub of Madrid. It concentrates various important highlights of the city: | ||
− | # The former ''real casa de correos'' (post office), of New Year Eve's fame. It is now home to the ''Comunidad de Madrid'' after being the police headquarters under Franco's rule (Elena's father was incarcerated there for some short amount of time). | + | # The former ''real casa de correos'' (post office), of New Year Eve's fame. It is now home to the ''Comunidad de Madrid'' after being the police headquarters under [[Franco]]'s rule ([[Elena's father]] was incarcerated there for some short amount of time). |
# The statue of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_III_of_Spain Charles III] dominating the place. | # The statue of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_III_of_Spain Charles III] dominating the place. | ||
# The ''Kilómetro Cero'', from which national highways are measured. | # The ''Kilómetro Cero'', from which national highways are measured. | ||
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== Culture == | == Culture == | ||
− | * Circulo de Bellas Artes. | + | * Circulo de Bellas Artes.{{done|}} |
* [http://www.condeduquemadrid.es El Conde Duque].{{done|}} | * [http://www.condeduquemadrid.es El Conde Duque].{{done|}} | ||
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* [http://www.mecd.gob.es/museodeamerica/inicio.html Museo de América]. | * [http://www.mecd.gob.es/museodeamerica/inicio.html Museo de América]. | ||
− | * [http://goo.gl/vKeRu Museo de Historia de Madrid]. | + | * [http://goo.gl/vKeRu Museo de Historia de Madrid]. {{done}} |
* [http://goo.gl/kIWFnL Museo Naval de Madrid]. | * [http://goo.gl/kIWFnL Museo Naval de Madrid]. | ||
* [http://goo.gl/wMwSLp Casa museo de Lope de Vega] (upon reservation/free). | * [http://goo.gl/wMwSLp Casa museo de Lope de Vega] (upon reservation/free). | ||
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* [http://museosorolla.mcu.es/ Museo Sorolla]. {{done|On Elena's birthday 2013.}} | * [http://museosorolla.mcu.es/ Museo Sorolla]. {{done|On Elena's birthday 2013.}} | ||
* [http://www.flg.es/ Museo de la Fundación Lázaro Galdiano]. | * [http://www.flg.es/ Museo de la Fundación Lázaro Galdiano]. | ||
− | * [[Museo de San Isidro]] (o de los orígenes de Madrid). {{done}} | + | * [[Museo de San Isidro]] (o de los orígenes de Madrid). {{done|}} |
* [http://goo.gl/wuxFZ CaixaForum Madrid]. ([http://obrasocial.lacaixa.es/nuestroscentros/caixaforummadrid/mediterraneo_es.html Mediterráneo. Del mito a la razón.] {{done|On 10 November 2014.}}) | * [http://goo.gl/wuxFZ CaixaForum Madrid]. ([http://obrasocial.lacaixa.es/nuestroscentros/caixaforummadrid/mediterraneo_es.html Mediterráneo. Del mito a la razón.] {{done|On 10 November 2014.}}) | ||
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File:Madrid-cebada-8-March-2014.JPG|Cutting a slice of grouper in the [[Mercado de la Cebada]]. | File:Madrid-cebada-8-March-2014.JPG|Cutting a slice of grouper in the [[Mercado de la Cebada]]. | ||
File:Madrid-8-March-2014-3.jpg|The lights of ''la Gran Vía'' (on a day that was not that [http://goo.gl/wGbUjA of the beast]). | File:Madrid-8-March-2014-3.jpg|The lights of ''la Gran Vía'' (on a day that was not that [http://goo.gl/wGbUjA of the beast]). | ||
− | File:Madrid-8-March-2014-4.jpg|Although with the Telefonica building, it seems the devil does live in Madrid. | + | File:Madrid-8-March-2014-4.jpg|Although with the Telefonica building, it seems the [[devil]] does live in Madrid. |
File:Madrid-8-March-2014-5.jpg|The crowded ''calle Preciados'', by night. | File:Madrid-8-March-2014-5.jpg|The crowded ''calle Preciados'', by night. | ||
File:SantaCruz-7Sep2014.jpg|Church of the Santa-Cruz sitting on the rooftops. | File:SantaCruz-7Sep2014.jpg|Church of the Santa-Cruz sitting on the rooftops. | ||
+ | File:ElenaJulia-MadridAug18.jpg|Elena and Julia in the [[Faro de Moncloa]] on {{thisday|21|August|2018}}. | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
+ | |||
+ | == Cultural references == | ||
+ | |||
+ | * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDXTgEmyODQ Madrid Madrid] by Nilda Fernandez. | ||
== Links == | == Links == |
Contents |
¡Madrid, Madrid! Le prix que je paye, c'est encore quelques heures sans sommeil,
pour me souvenir de toi.
Nilda Fernández.
Madrid is the capital of Spain and of the eponymous autonomous community.
The satellite view below show the extent of the city center from the Palacio Real on the left to el Retiro on the right. Cutting the city in two like a river, the aptly named calle Mayor meets with the Puerta del sol after it grazed by the imposing Plaza mayor (another gigantic depletion in the layout of roofs after Sol itself), and continues afterwards now as the never ending calle de Alcala through the famous Cibeles. Less visible although much bigger, this pattern is repeated by the Gran Via in a northern branch of a Y. The two meet, again like two rivers, at a dull point overlooked by the Victoria Alada of the Metropolis building. The actual river, the Manzanares, grazes the western part of the city as it falls from the mountains, in the distant north.
The panoramic view below was taken on 17 May (2015) from the Cerro de San Pedro, the first mountain of the sierra de Guadarrama, for the surveillance of which the city was built by the Arabs (click to open). You can see Tres Cantos at the bottom (partly cut) and the Universidad Autónoma along with other recognizable highlights of the capital (the four towers, Plaza Castilla, etc.)
The neighbourhoods of the center of Madrid:
See also, the Center of Madrid: |
and in a browsable Google Map:
Madrid was funded by the muslims. It was then known as Mayrit, and was protected by walls circling what is today the neighbourhood of Palacio.
This is the central square of Madrid and, in a way, of Spain as a whole. Most cities have their Plaza Mayor, With Salamanca ranking second for its specimen of importance and notability.
From 1 January (2014), we lived in Plaza Mayor, on the side of the Casa de la Panadería. We no longer reside there but kept the flat as one of our most cherished possession.
El Retiro is the west end of historical Madrid (nowadays surrounded from the further side by geometrical formations from modern urban planning). The name of this district comes from the famous park del Buen Retiro (of the good retreat).
One everybody's favourite of the park is the monument to the Fallen Angel, that depicts the Milton's inspired fall of the brightest amidst the host of Angels.
I like the work because of its ambiguity. The angel is represented as beautiful, while the fall itself is gripping, it seems eternal, never ending, always happening, a real kick from God. There is no angle that seems adequate, the statue falls in all the directions. I use it since 29 December (2013) as the decoration of my social network portals (google+, twitter, YouTube) as an acclaim to this equivocation that allows both satanic sects and devout catholics to both praise and despise the work: as a faithful representation of the Bible or as a tribute to the occult, the evil, the perdition.
Probably once the most beautiful place of Madrid, when it was marking the limits between the old city and the fields with its eponymous gate, now long gone, it became merely—not the heart, because it is not beating—but more properly, the hub of Madrid. It concentrates various important highlights of the city:
Sadly, although we pass by there virtually everyday, it is for us only a transit point to take the train. The place is popular for all sorts of events and manifestations.
The main three venues:
Together they form the so-called Paseo del Arte.
La Mariblanca as if impatient in front of the reloj de Losada en la Puerta del Sol.
Elena and Tizón en la Plaza Mayor.
Cutting a slice of grouper in the Mercado de la Cebada.
The lights of la Gran Vía (on a day that was not that of the beast).
Although with the Telefonica building, it seems the devil does live in Madrid.
Elena and Julia in the Faro de Moncloa on 21 August (2018).