History UsefulNotes / Madrid

* '''The Welcoming Capital'''

* '''The Frivolous Bunch'''

* '''The Mixed Thing'''

Sights you might be interested in seeing while you’re there include:

Before the Habsburgs reign, there was no thing as a capital city as the court moved to wherever the kings (namely, the Catholic Monarchs) were at the time, thus becoming ''de facto'' capital. Otherwise, Toledo is often regarded as a ''De jure'' capital in pre-imperial times due to it being the capital of the gothic Spain, before the moorish invasion, but was not really enforced after the fall of Granada.

So, by the 1500s, Madrid was just a castle with overgrown surroundings that was mainly born as a garrison on the muslim-christian border while Toledo, Cordoba and Granada were the largest cities in spanish-controlled Iberian Peninsula (The first for it's historical significance for christians and the latter two for being of same significance, one being former cultural and academical center under moorish rule, eventually becoming christian, [[TheRemnant and the other being the last city and capital of the moorish remnants]] until its surrender to the Catholic Monarchs in 1492).

Valladolid (The cultural and political center of Castile) and Toledo (The cultural and political center of former visigothic Spain, and so that of the territories acquires by Castille from the moors, aptly named New Castile) were regarded as possible settling for a capital, but Madrid was chosen because it was equally distanced to both north, south, east and [[Portugal "West"]] and, probably, because it allowed to build a city from scratch.

Capital was moved to Valladolid under Felipe III, wich managed to cause an economic and demographical meltdown in Madrid as well as a kind of cultural-political thriving in Valladolid, wich fell apart once the crown's seat was reverted to Madrid under certain political schemes and political unrest, [[WhatAnIdiot wich caused a similar meltdown in Valladolid and is regarded as a disastrous and bad move altogether]].

Madrid growth was substantially slow compared to other european capitals and only skyrocketed after the SpanishCivilWar, where it got the bulk of the industrialisation after the Eisenhower-Franco agreements of 1959.

Prior to that, Madrid had been mainly populated by [[SleazyPolitician societal elites]], [[TheBeautifulElite aristocrats]] and the [[GeneralRipper military higher ranks]] as well as [[RoyallyScrewedUp the royals]], all of them [[RealityEnsues getting]] [[BreakTheHaughty severely broken]] by the time the war started, [[FromBadToWorse and gotten worse during the war]]

In this setting, the usual saying "''De Madrid al cielo''" (From Madrid ''to heaven'') applies,
madrilians are friendly and welcoming, and won't ask you uncomfortable questions about anything as long as you dont disturb anybody, there is work for everybody who wants one, and [[CityOfAdventure is a rich city full of opportunities to enrich yourself culturally, academically, profesionally or socially, and get a grown-up s a person]]. While TruthInTelevision, at least when envisioned by rural folks both in TheFifties or even in [[TheNineties the early Nineties]] as well as some South American media, this is ''deconstructed as early as the 19th Century'' and comes across as an UnbuiltTrope regarding media, while ''coplas'' y ''zarzuelas'' (Traditional music) very usually plays this straight.

Allegedly, film director Alex de la Iglesia claimed "Madrid is the sort of place where you realize if the world doesn't come to an end today, it surely will happen tomorrow". This is where dreams go to die, the full place is a WretchedHive populated by [[StepfordSmiler emptied-out nouveau rich]], [[CorruptCorporateExecutive morally lacking CEOs]], [[SleazyPolitician self-serving public authorities]] wich all of them will smile and greet at you unless you fall from grace, and be damned to share space with the lower classes, wich are usually portrayed as [[KickTheDog poorer than dirt, sexually deviant, struggling white trash wich usually are also drug addicts]] [[UpToEleven with AIDS]][[note]]Spanish film industry had a tendency to shoehorn every known social issue in a limited number of characters, in order to show their consciousness or realism about the issues portrayed, wich, while anvilicious, comes as an unfortunate ContrivedCoincidence of misery[[/note]]

* [[TheLastCircus Balada Triste de Trompeta]] by the aforementioned Alex de la Iglesia, a very, very, ''very dark and twisted'' portrayal of the city, and, by extension, spanish society starting with the last shots of the SpanishCivilWar to the last breath of [[FranciscoFranco Franco]] forty years later. Franco, himself, makes a cameo and is [[NiceGuy arguably the nicest character in the film]], [[EvenEvilHasStandards wich is saying something]].`
** By the same director: ''El Día de la Bestia''. A Basque priest travels to Madrid and becomes evil in order to contact Satan, as he has learned he will spawn TheAntichrist in the city on 25th December, 1993 with help of a satanic heavy metal-rabid fan (who is a hopeless loser who lives with his racist mother, her naive twenty-something tenant and his mentally disabled grandfather) and a TV Occult Guru who sells books on making a DealWithTheDevil and teach satanism ''on tv'' but is secretly a fraud. All while the city is gang-crime rotten. People keeps dying, nobody cares. All PlayedForLaughs. Also, Pedro Solbes, who was a Minister for Economy and Finances both in the [[TheNineties early Nineties]] and the late [[TheNewTens New Tens]] makes a cameo by way of stock footage in an appliance store [[HilariousInHindsight TV while said guru in a TV]] [[HarsherInHindsight next to him is]] [[FunnyAneurysmMoment announcing the impending apocalypse]].

[[folder:Film]]

* The Golden Triangle of Art, three museums that hold the masterpieces of many famous artists: the Prado (considered the second most important art museum in the world after the Louvre of Paris. It contains "Las Meninas" by Velazquez), the Thyssen-Bornemisza, and the Reina Sofía (which contains the "Guernica" by Picasso).

Getting around is unusually easy because the Madrid Metro is the 6th longest in the world, despite serving the world's 50th largest metropolitan area.

** By the same director: ''El Día de la Bestia''. A Basque priest travels to Madrid and becomes evil in order to contact Satan, as he has learned he will spawn TheAntichrist in the city on 25th December, 1993 with help of a satanic heavy metal-rabid fan who is a hopeless loser who lives with his racist mother, her naive twenty-something tenant and his mentally disabled grandfather and a TV Occult Guru who sells books on making a DealWithTheDevil and teach satanism ''on tv'' but is secretly a fraud. All while the city is gang-crime rotten. People keeps dying, nobody cares. All PlayedForLaughs. Also, Pedro Solbes, who was a Minister for Economy and Finances both in the [[TheNineties early Nineties]] and the late [[TheNewTens New Tens]] makes a cameo by way of stock footage in an appliance store [[HilariousInHindsight TV while a character in a TV]] [[HarsherInHindsight next to him is]] [[FunnyAneurysmMoment announcing the impending apocalypse]].

* [[TheLastCircus Balada Triste de Trompeta]] by the aforementioned Alex de la Iglesia, a very, very, ''very dark and twisted'' portrayal of the city, and, by extension, spanish society starting with the last shots of the SpanishCivilWar to the last breath of [[FranciscoFranco Franco]] forty years later. Franco, himself, makes a cameo and is [[NiceGuy arguably the nicest character in the film]], [[EvenEvilHasStandards wich is saying something]].

* [[TheLastCircus Balada Triste de Trompeta]] by the aforementioned Alex de la Iglesia, a very, very, ''very dark and twisted'' portrayal of the city, and, by extension, spanish society starting with the last shots of the SpanishCivilWar to the last breath of [[FranciscoFranco Franco]] forty years later. Franco, himself, makes a cameo and is [[NiceGuy arguably the nicest character in the film]], [[DamnedByFoolsPraise wich is saying something]].

Allegedly, film director Alex de la Iglesia claimed "Madrid is the sort of place where you realize if the world doesn't come to an end today, it surely will happen tomorrow". This is where dreams go to die, the full place is a WretchedHive populated by [[StepfordSmiler emptied-out nouveau rich]], [[CorruptCorporateExecutive morally lacking CEOs]], [[SleazyPolitician self-serving public authorities]] wich all of them will smile and greet at you unless you fall from grace, and be damned to share space with the lower classes, wich are usually portrayed as [[KickTheDog poorer than dirt, sexually deviant, struggling white trash wich usually are also drug addicts]] [[UpToEleven with ''AIDS'']][[note]]Spanish film industry had a tendency to shoehorn every known social issue in a limited number of characters, in order to show their consciousness or realism about the issues portrayed, wich, while anvilicious, comes as an {{Wangst unfortunate}} ContrivedCoincidence of misery[[/note]]

Allegedly, film director Alex de la Iglesia claimed "Madrid is the sort of place where you realize if the world doesn't come to an end today, it surely will happen tomorrow". This is where dreams go to die, the full place is a WretchedHive populated by [[StepfordSmiler emptied-out nouveau rich]], [[CorruptCorporateExecutive morally lacking CEOs]], [[SleazyPolitician self-serving public authorities]] wich all of them will smile and greet at you unless you fall from grace, and be damned to share space with the lower classes, wich are usually portrayed as [[KickTheDog poorer than dirt, sexually deviant, struggling white trash wich usually are also drug addicts]] [[UpToEleven with ''AIDS'']][[note]]Spanish film industry had a tendency to shoehorn every known social issue in a limited number of characters, in order to show their consciousness or realism about the issues portrayed, wich, while anvilicious, comes as an Wangst unfortunate ContrivedCoincidence of misery[[/note]]

Allegedly, film director Alex de la Iglesia claimed "Madrid is the sort of place where you realize if the world doesn't come to an end today, it surely will happen tomorrow". This is where dreams go to die, the full place is a WretchedHive populated by [[StepfordSmiler emptied-out nouveau rich]], [[CorruptCorporateExecutive morally lacking CEOs]], [[SleazyPolitician self-serving public authorities]] wich all of them will smile and greet at you unless you fall from grace, and be damned to share space with the lower classes, wich are usually portrayed as [[KickTheDog poorer than dirt, sexually deviant, struggling white trash wich usually are also drug addicts]] [[UpToEleven with ''AIDS'']][[Note]]Spanish film industry had a tendency to shoehorn every known social issue in a limited number of characters, in order to show their consciousness or realism about the issues portrayed, wich, while [[anvilicious]], comes as an [[Wangst unfortunate]] ContrivedCoincidence of misery[[/Note]]

madrilians are friendly and welcoming, and won't ask you uncomfortable questions about anything as long as you dont disturb anybody, there is work for everybody who wants one, and [[CityOfAdventure is a rich city full of opportunities to enrich yourself culturally, academically, profesionally or socially, and get a grown-up s a person]]. While TruthInTelevision, at least when envisioned by rural folks both in TheFifties or even in [[TheNineties the early nineties]] as well as some South American media, this is ''deconstructed as early as the 19th Century'' and comes across as an UnbuiltTrope regarding media, while ''coplas'' y ''zarzuelas'' (Traditional music) very usually plays this straight.

'''Madrid in fiction'''

Madrid often loses out to Barcelona for "Spanish" locals - even though Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia, which is a region that is quite proud of its distinct culture and language. International audiences tend to be more familiar with Barcelona because it is a major tourist destination on the Mediterranean. There is a national joke that while Madrid has the nation's finest museums, the seat of government, and a lively nightlife, it has no beach - but Barcelona does! Madrid also isn't very photogenic compared to Barcelona. Barcelona could be described as decadent (the presence of a certain Antonio Gaudí helped to make sure of that) while Madrid is utilitarian. For example, Barcelona very nearly constructed the Eiffel Tower, and eventually built the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torre_Agbar Agbar Tower.]]

Until recently, Madrid's tallest building was the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torre_Picasso Picasso Tower.]] The Spanish government, noticing this, funded a construction boom that has added a new [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuatro_Torres_Business_Area quartet of skyscrapers]] and a modern [[https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campus_de_la_Justicia_de_Madrid courthouse complex]] [[note]]Construction of the latter has been stopped for now because of both the economic crisis and legal reasons.[[/note]]. Only time will tell if it garners more international recognition in the media, although the severe economic crisis the country is going through ever since 2008 surely is not helping. Even worse after 2013, when Madrid failed to be elected as an [[UsefulNotes/OlympicGames Olympic city]] for the third time in a row, which has turned the city into one, if not the most indebted capital city in the world.

Spanish movies will often compromise between Madrid and Barcelona, with characters moving from one city to the other at least once per film.
----

As TheOtherWiki reads, Madrid is the third-largest city and metropolitan area of the European Union and also happens to be the capital city of Spain, and the largely discussed center of the iberian peninsula, mostly by historical tensions between France-like political centralists and both left-leaning and conservative elites mainly in [[Barcelona]] or even [[Lisbon]].

Madrid growth was substantially slow compared to other european capitals and only skyrocketed after TheSpanishCivilWar, where it got the bulk of the inversion in

Today, Madrid is considered an Alpha World City, one of the top ten most powerful cities in the world, and is the fourth largest urban area in the European Union.

So, by the 1500s, Madrid was just a castle with overgrown surroundings that was mainly born as a garrison on the muslim-christian border while Toledo, Cordoba and Granada were the largest

Although the area around Madrid has been inhabited since prehistoric times, Madrid itself has spent most of its existence in obscurity, and has risen to prominence fairly recently. It is among the youngest of the great European capitals. It was founded in the 9th century by a Moorish garrison, and spent 600 years changing hands between different kingdoms, both Christian and Muslim, growing in importance all the while. The ancient capital of Castile, Toledo, had its growth restricted by the river Tajo, which surrounded it on three sides.

King Charles I decided to move the capital, and chose Madrid mainly for being centrally located in the Iberian Peninsula. Since then, the fortunes of the city have mirrored those of Spain, prospering in the "Siglo del Oro" ("Golden Century", which was the XVI Century) while ruling the Spanish Empire, declining all through the 18th and 19th centuries, brutally torn apart and oppressed during and after the UsefulNotes/SpanishCivilWar, and then transforming into a thriving, cosmopolitan metropolis, all the while engaged in a tug-of-war for power with the capitals of Spain's various cultural factions, Barcelona most of all.

Madrid, the center of the Spanish world. If by "Spanish" you mean "Spain" and by "center" you mean "geographic center."

King Charles I decided to move the capital, and chose Madrid mainly for being centrally located in the Iberian Peninsula. Since then, the fortunes of the city have mirrored those of Spain, prospering in the "Siglo del Oro" ("Golden Century", which was the XVI Century) while ruling the Spanish Empire, declining all through the 18th and 19th centuries, brutally torn apart and oppressed during and after the UsefulNotes/SpanishCivilWar, and then transforming into a thriving, cosmopolitan metropolis, all the while engaged in a tug-of-war for power with the capitals of Spain’s various cultural factions, Barcelona most of all.

* The Golden Triangle of Art, three museums that hold the masterpieces of many famous artists: the Prado (considered the second most important art museum in the world after the Louvre of Paris. It contains “Las Meninas” by Velazquez), the Thyssen-Bornemisza, and the Reina Sofía (which contains the “Guernica” by Picasso).
* The Royal Palace, official residence of the Kings of Spain and built on the site of the fortress that founded Madrid

Madrid often loses out to Barcelona for “Spanish” locals-even though Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia, which is a region that is quite proud of its distinct culture and language. International audiences tend to be more familiar with Barcelona because it is a major tourist destination on the Mediterranean. There is a national joke that while Madrid has the nation’s finest museums, the seat of government, and a lively nightlife, it has no beach-but Barcelona does! Madrid also isn't very photogenic compared to Barcelona. Barcelona could be described as decadent (the presence of a certain Antonio Gaudí helped to make sure of that) while Madrid is utilitarian. For example, Barcelona very nearly constructed the Eiffel Tower, and eventually built the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torre_Agbar Agbar Tower.]]

Until recently, Madrid's tallest building was the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torre_Picasso Picasso Tower.]] The Spanish government, noticing this, funded a construction boom that has added a new [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuatro_Torres_Business_Area quartet of skyscrapers]] and a modern [[https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campus_de_la_Justicia_de_Madrid courthouse complex]] [[note]]Construction of the latter has been stopped for now because of both the economical crisis as well as legal reasons.[[/note]]. Only time will tell if it garners more international recognition in the media, although the severe economic crisis the country is going through ever since 2008 surely is not helping. Even worse after 2013, when Madrid failed to be elected as an [[OlympicGames Olympic city]] for the third time in a row, which has turned the city into one, if not the most indebted capital city in the world.

Until recently, Madrid's tallest building was the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torre_Picasso Picasso Tower.]] The Spanish government, noticing this, funded a construction boom that has added a new [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuatro_Torres_Business_Area quartet of skyscrapers]] and a modern [[http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Campus_de_la_Justicia_de_Madrid courthouse complex.]] Only time will tell if it garners more international recognition in the media, although the severe economic crisis the country is going through ever since 2008 surely is not helping. Even worse after 2013, when Madrid failed to be elected as an [[OlympicGames Olympic city]] for the third time in a row, which has turned the city into one, if not the most indebted capital city in the world.

Although the area around Madrid has been inhabited since prehistoric times, Madrid itself has spent most of its existence in obscurity, and has risen to prominence fairly recently. It is among the youngest of the great European capitals. It was founded in the 9th century by a Moorish garrison, and spent 600 years changing hands between different kingdoms, both Christian and Muslim, growing in importance all the while. The ancient capital of Castile, Toledo, had its growth restricted by the river Tajo, which surrounded it on three sides. King Charles I decided to move the capital, and chose Madrid mainly for being centrally located in the Iberian Peninsula. Since then, the fortunes of the city have mirrored those of Spain, prospering in the "Siglo del Oro" ("Golden Century", which was the XVI Century) while ruling the Spanish Empire, declining all through the 18th and 19th centuries, brutally torn apart and oppressed during and after the UsefulNotes/SpanishCivilWar, and then transforming into a thriving, cosmopolitan metropolis, all the while engaged in a tug-of-war for power with the capitals of Spain’s various cultural factions, Barcelona most of all. Today, Madrid is considered an Alpha World City, one of the top ten most powerful cities in the world, and is the fourth largest urban area in the European Union.

Madrid, the center of the Spanish world-if by "Spanish" you mean "Spain" and by "center" you mean "geographic center."

Although the area around Madrid has been inhabited since prehistoric times, Madrid itself has spent most of its existence in obscurity, and has risen to prominence fairly recently. It is among the youngest of the great European capitals. It was founded in the 9th century by a Moorish garrison, and spent 600 years changing hands between different kingdoms, both Christian and Muslim, growing in importance all the while. The ancient capital of Castile, Toledo, had its growth restricted by the river Tajo, which surrounded it on three sides. King Charles I decided to move the capital, and chose Madrid mainly for being centrally located in the Iberian Peninsula. Since then, the fortunes of the city have mirrored those of Spain, prospering in the ""Siglo del Oro" ("Golden Century", which was the XVI Century) while ruling the Spanish Empire, declining all through the 18th and 19th centuries, brutally torn apart and oppressed during and after the UsefulNotes/SpanishCivilWar, and then transforming into a thriving, cosmopolitan metropolis, all the while engaged in a tug-of-war for power with the capitals of Spain’s various cultural factions, Barcelona most of all. Today, Madrid is considered an Alpha World City, one of the top ten most powerful cities in the world, and is the fourth largest urban area in the European Union.

Although the area around Madrid has been inhabited since prehistoric times, Madrid itself has spent most of its existence in obscurity, and has risen to prominence fairly recently-it is among the youngest of the great European capitals. It was founded in the 9th century by a Moorish garrison, and spent 600 years changing hands between different kingdoms, both Christian and Muslim, growing in importance all the while. The ancient capital of Castile, Toledo, had its growth restricted by the river Tajo, which surrounded it on three sides. King Charles I decided to move the capital, and chose Madrid mainly for being centrally located in the Iberian Peninsula. Since then, the fortunes of the city have mirrored those of Spain, prospering in the Siglo del Oro while ruling the Spanish Empire, declining all through the 18th and 19th centuries, brutally torn apart and oppressed during and after the UsefulNotes/SpanishCivilWar, and then transforming into a thriving, cosmopolitan metropolis, all the while engaged in a tug-of-war for power with the capitals of Spain’s various cultural factions, Barcelona most of all. Today, Madrid is considered an Alpha World City, one of the top ten most powerful cities in the world, and is the fourth largest urban area in the European Union.

* The Puerta del Sol ("the Sun's Gate"), a square in the center of the city with a {{Hachiko}}-esque statue of a bear and a strawberry tree, symbol of the city and a popular meeting place. It's also very popular for being in the geographical center of the country, and the starting point of most of its radial-like road and highway network (Also known as the "Km. Zero"). One of Madrid's biggest icons.

Although the area around Madrid has been inhabited since prehistoric times, Madrid itself has spent most of its existence in obscurity, and has risen to prominence fairly recently-it is among the youngest of the great European capitals. It was founded in the 9th century by a Moorish garrison, and spent 600 years changing hands between different kingdoms, both Christian and Muslim, growing in importance all the while. The ancient capital of Castile, Toledo, had its growth restricted by the river Tajo, which surrounded it on three sides. King Charles I decided to move the capital, and chose Madrid mainly for being centrally located in the Iberian Peninsula. Since then, the fortunes of the city have mirrored those of Spain, prospering in the Siglo del Oro while ruling the Spanish Empire, declining all through the 18th and 19th centuries, brutally torn apart and oppressed during and after the SpanishCivilWar, and then transforming into a thriving, cosmopolitan metropolis, all the while engaged in a tug-of-war for power with the capitals of Spain’s various cultural factions, Barcelona most of all. Today, Madrid is considered an Alpha World City, one of the top ten most powerful cities in the world, and is the fourth largest urban area in the European Union.

Madrid often loses out to Barcelona for “Spanish” locals-even though Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia, which is a region that is quite proud of its distinct culture and language. International audiences tend to be more familiar with Barcelona because it is a major tourist destination on the Mediterranean. There is a national joke that while Madrid has the nation’s finest museums, the seat of government, and a lively nightlife, it has no beach-but Barcelona does! Madrid also isn't very photogenic compared to Barcelona. Barcelona could be described as decadent (the presence of a certain Antonio Gaudí helped to make sure of that) while Madrid is utilitarian. For example, Barcelona very nearly constructed the Eiffel Tower, and eventually built the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torre_Agbar Agbar Tower.]] Until recently, Madrid's tallest building was the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torre_Picasso Picasso Tower.]] The Spanish government, noticing this, funded a construction boom that has added a new [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuatro_Torres_Business_Area quartet of skyscrapers]] and a modern [[http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Campus_de_la_Justicia_de_Madrid courthouse complex.]] Only time will tell if it garners more international recognition in the media, although the severe economic crisis the country is going through ever since 2008 surely is not helping.

Spanish movies will often compromise between the two, with characters moving from one city to the other at least once per film.

Although the area around Madrid has been inhabited since prehistoric times, Madrid itself has spent most of its existence in obscurity, and has risen to prominence fairly recently-it is among the youngest of the great European capitals. It was founded in the 9th century by a Moorish garrison, and spent 600 years changing hands between different kingdoms, both Christian and Muslim, growing in importance all the while. The ancient capital of Castile, Toledo, had its growth restricted by the river Tajo, which surrounded it on three sides. King Charles I decided to move the capital, and chose Madrid mainly for being centrally located in the Iberian Peninsula. Since then, the fortunes of the city have mirrored those of Spain, prospering in the Siglo del Oro while ruling the Spanish Empire, declining all through the 18th and 19th centuries, brutally torn apart and oppressed during and after the SpanishCivilWar, and then transforming into a thriving, cosmopolitan metropolis, all the while engaged in a tug-of-war for power with the capitals of Spain’s various cultural factions, Barcelona most of all. Today, Madrid is considered an Alpha World City, one of the top ten most powerful cities in the world, and is the third largest urban area in the European Union.

* The Puerta del Sol ("the Sun's Gate"), a square in the center of the city with a {{Hachiko}}-esque statue of a bear and a strawberry tree, symbol of the city and a popular meeting place.

* The Golden Triangle of Art, three museums that hold the masterpieces of many famous artists: the Prado (“Las Meninas” by Velazquez), the Thyssen-Bornemisza, and the Reina Sofía (“Guernica” by Picasso).

Madrid often loses out to Barcelona for “Spanish” locals-even though Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia, which is a region that is quite proud of its distinct culture and language. International audiences tend to be more familiar with Barcelona because it is a major tourist destination on the Mediterranean. There is a national joke that while Madrid has the nation’s finest museums, the seat of government, and a lively nightlife, it has no beach-but Barcelona does! Madrid also isn't very photogenic compared to Barcelona. Barcelona could be described as decadent (the presence of a certain Antonio Gaudí helped to make sure of that) while Madrid is utilitarian. For example, Barcelona very nearly constructed the Eiffel Tower, and eventually built the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torre_Agbar Torre Agbar.]] Until recently, Madrid's tallest building was the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torre_Picasso Torre Picasso.]] The Spanish government, noticing this, funded a construction boom that has added a new [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuatro_Torres_Business_Area quartet of skyscrapers]] and a modern [[http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Campus_de_la_Justicia_de_Madrid courthouse complex.]] Only time will tell if it garners more international recognition in the media.

* The Puerta del Sol, a square in the center of the city with a {{Hachiko}}-esque statue of a bear and a strawberry tree, symbol of the city and a popular meeting place.

Although the area around Madrid has been inhabited since prehistoric times, Madrid itself has spent most of its existence in obscurity, and has risen to prominence fairly recently-it is among the youngest of the great European capitals. It was founded in the 9th century by a Moorish garrison, and spent 600 years changing hands between different kingdoms, both Christian and Muslim, growing in importance all the while. The ancient capital of Castile, Toledo, had its growth restricted by the river Tajo, which surrounded it on three sides. King Charles I decided to move the capital, and chose Madrid mainly for being centrally located in the Iberian Peninsula. Since then, the fortunes of the city have mirrored those of Spain, prospering in the Siglo del Oro while ruling the Spanish Empire, declining all through the 18th and 19th centuries, brutally torn apart and oppressed during and after the Spanish Civil War, and then transforming into a thriving, cosmopolitan metropolis, all the while engaged in a tug-of-war for power with the capitals of Spain’s various cultural factions, Barcelona most of all. Today, Madrid is considered an Alpha World City, one of the top ten most powerful cities in the world, and is the third largest urban area in the European Union.