Perspective

History of Madrid

Chueca and Malasaña: From Working-Class Districts to Cultural Icons

Chueca and Malasaña were 19th-century working-class neighbourhoods. La Movida made them the stage for Spain's cultural liberation; in the 1990s, Chueca became Spain's LGBTQ+ capital.

History of Madrid

Madrid Under Franco: Post-War, Autarky and the Development Boom

Francoist Madrid (1939-1975): from the famine-struck post-war city to the booming metropolis of the economic development years. How the regime transformed — and disfigured — the city.

History of Madrid

Madrid's Democratic Transition: From Franco to Democracy

When Franco died in 1975, Madrid became the stage for the democratic transition. The Moncloa Pacts, the 1978 Constitution and La Movida Madrileña transformed the city.

History of Madrid

18th-Century Madrid: The Bourbons and the Enlightened Capital

The 18th century transformed Madrid under the Bourbons: Charles III (the 'best mayor of Madrid'), the Paseo del Prado, the Puerta de Alcalá and the Enlightenment projects that modernised the city.

History of Madrid

The Ensanche of Madrid: How the City Grew from Medieval to Modern

The 1857 Plan Castro established the ordered expansion of Madrid northward and eastward. The Ensanche created the neighbourhoods of Salamanca, Chamberí and Argüelles.

History of Madrid

The Spanish Civil War in Madrid: The Siege That Lasted Three Years

Madrid held out against the Francoist siege for 28 months (1936–1939): trenches at the Ciudad Universitaria, aerial bombardment, famine and the symbol of '¡No pasarán!'.

History of Madrid

The Prado Museum: History of Spain's Most Important Collection

The Prado opened to the public in 1819 with 311 paintings from the royal palaces. Today it holds 8,000 works. The history of how Spain's greatest collection was formed.

History of Madrid

Plaza Mayor Madrid: Five Centuries of History in One Square

Madrid's Plaza Mayor was designed by Juan Gómez de Mora in 1617. It has survived three fires, multiple reconstructions, and five centuries of intense public life.

History of Madrid

Royal Palace of Madrid: History, Architecture and What to See

The Royal Palace of Madrid was built by the Bourbons after the 1734 fire destroyed the Habsburg Alcázar. With 3,418 rooms, it is the largest royal palace in Western Europe.

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