The capital of Spain, located in the heart
of the peninsula and right in the center of
the Castillian is a cosmopolitan city, a business
center, headquarteers for the Public Administration,
Government, Spanish Parliament and the home
of the Spanish Royal Family, Madrid also plays
a major role in both the banking and industrial
sectors. Madrid is characterized by intense
cultural and artistic activity and a very lively
nightlife.
The grand metropolis of Madrid can trace its
origins to the times of Arab Emir Mohamed I
(852-886), who ordered the construction of a
fortress on the left bank of the Manzanares
River. When Philip II oredered to move to Madrid
the royal court, this city started to grow constantly
until now. What remains today of the distant
past are mainly the Baroque and neoclassical
structures of the 17th and 18th centuries, such
as the Plaza Mayor (Main Square), the Palacio
Real (Royal Palace) and others which will be
described later during our tours of the city.
www.madrid.org/turismo
www.esmadrid.com