El Barrio de Salamanca with its neat appearance and very high standard of living it the most stately area of Madrid where aristocrats, journalists, actors and politicians live. What is the origin of this neighborhood? The name of Barrio de Salamanca is due to José de Salamanca and Mayol, or so to say, the Marquis… Continue reading “El Barrio de Salamanca – Origins”
La Paloma Festivity is one of the most genuine festivities in Madrid and during it Madrileños dance its most classic dance: the “Chotis”. Let´s continue with Madrid culture! We do not stop talking about Madrid, traditions and identity and this time it´s time for the… La Paloma Festivity! We continue through the traditional Virgen de… Continue reading “La Paloma Festivity and the Chotis”
Lions have always been a symbol for many cultures. In Spain, the lions of the Spanish Parliament, more than a symbol they became a headache. Where the Congress of Deputies and the lions of the Spanish Parliament are now seen, at the time there was a convent named Espiritu Santo (Holy Spirit). It was so… Continue reading “History of the Lions of the Spanish Parliament”
Where do this peculiar and famous clothes of the Chulapas and Chulapos of Madrid come from? Are they as old as you maybe think? Following the theme of folk festivals and traditional celebrations, we will see the regional costumes of the city, currently known as “chulapos” and “chulapas” of Madrid. This is the nickname with… Continue reading “Chulapas and Chulapos of Madrid”
Christmas is here and with it also come the atmosphere, carols, street lighting, Christmas trees and traditional nativity scenes in Madrid. The “Belen” is the representation of the birth of Jesus Christ as well as Mary, Joseph, the boy, the ox, the mule, the manger, the Star of the East, the Three Kings, etc. This… Continue reading “Nativity Scenes in Madrid – Belem”
When we think of traditional Madrid, a characteristic way of speaking, a specific style of music, different celebrations and unique clothes comes to mind. From where does it come? You need to answer two questions to understand all those elements that create a specific identity for the Traditional Madrid. The first question is, where does… Continue reading “The Traditional Madrid. What`s the origin of our identity?”
Not all the jewels of Madrid are in the tourist center area. The Parque del Capricho is one of those unknown gems and it definetely deserves attention. Located in the Alameda de Osuna neighborhood (metro line 5) and 14-hectare big Parque del Capricho dates from 1787. The Duchess of Osuna, María Josefa Pimentel, one of… Continue reading “El Parque del Capricho – A dream Garden”
It is said that people use violence when they have no arguments, but paradoxically Valle-Inclán, a genious of the word lost his arm using force in a fight. Cervantes who was called “one-armed of Lepanto” was never really one-armed, but was injured on his wrist in the famous Battle of Lepanto on October 7, 1571… Continue reading “VALLE-INCLÁN: THE REAL ONE-ARMED”
Would you believe us if we told you that you could tour our city in depth without surfacing by using the tunnels and passages of Madrid? Between maintenance tunnels, subway, shelters, prisons, arsenals, archives; or, water channels, wine cellars, pantries and food mills, Madrid is covered by 4 thousand kilometers of underground roads, dark tunnels… Continue reading “Tunnels and Passages of Madrid – The Insides of the City”
Returning to medieval Madrid, this story focuses on the north of the country, more specifically, in the city of Palencia. However, we must first go to the well-known district of Madrid called “La Latina”, to find Calle de los Mancebos. San Andrés Church is the heart of this quarter, where two notable streets are born.… Continue reading “Calle de los Mancebos – The dead of a King and two executions”