History Of Madrid

By Author: Bonny Kominek
Total Articles: 230
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Madrid, capital of Spain, and the third biggest city in Europe is one of the great tourist locations in Europe, if not the world. Located right in the centre of the Iberian peninsula it is one of the most influential cities in the world and has a history that spans thousands of years.

Whilst the countryside around Madrid is undeniably beautiful, the majority of tourists visit Madrid to experience the atmosphere and culture of the city. Blessed with the typical Spanish climate, Madrid can get incredibly hot in the summer, so make sure that you visit in early or late summer when the sun is less intense.

The current site of Madrid has been populated since prehistoric times, but the first real mention of the city comes from the second century BC when the Romans conquered the Iberian peninsula. After the time of the Roman Empire there is evidence of a village of Visigoths near Madrid, which may or may not have been adopted by Arab invaders during the 7th century.

Towards the end of the first millennium Madrid began to turn into a major city. Although evidence of the Moorish occupation is scattered and difficult ...
... to find, Arab invaders did build a palace in the heart of the city but it was buried when the Palacio Real was built.

When Alfonso VI of Castile claimed much of modern day Spain back from the Moors in the 11th century, Madrid began to rise to prominence. It played an important role in medieval Spanish politics, being situated in the heart of Spain, but it wasn''t until the 16th century that it became the de facto capital.

Since then Madrid has flourished, the Spanish Empire of the 17th and 18th centuries brought massive wealth to Spain and this is manifested in numerous examples of spectacular Renaissance architecture of which the finest example remains the Palacio Real.

Other landmarks of particular note in Madrid are the cathedral, originally planned in the 17th century but not started until

A great thing about visiting Madrid is that it''s not too expensive, and with the euro weakening all the time, Madrid hotels are offering great value at the moment. The city, like much of Spain, can get extremely hot in the height of summers so try and visit in May and June if you can.

One of the best things about visiting the Spanish capital is that it''s not too expensive Madrid hotels are noted for their excellent value for money. It''s a wonderful place to visit, and its difficult to beat a city break in Madrid. Bonny Kominek is an experienced travel writer who has travelled extensively around Europe and recommends Octopustravel.com for Madrid hotels.