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MADRID TRAVEL INFORMATIONAbout Madrid Travel Guide
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. It is also the third
most populous city (within city limits) in the European Union after London
and Berlin, and the third most populous urban area in the European Union
after Paris and London. Its economic and political importance, as well as
its major cultural influence, rank Madrid as one of the major cities of
the world. Its residents are called Madrileños.
The city is located on the river Manzanares in the center of the country,
between the autonomous communities of Castilla y León and Castilla-La
Mancha. Due to its economic output, standard of living, and market size,
Madrid is considered one of the major financial centers of the Iberian
Peninsula, it hosts the head offices of the vast majority of the major
Spanish companies, as well as the headquarters of three of the world's
100 largest companies.[1]As the capital city of Spain, seat of government,
and residence of the Spanish monarch, Madrid is also the political center
of Spain.
As the capital of Spain, Madrid is a city of great cultural and political importance. While Madrid possesses a modern infrastructure, it has preserved the look and feel of many of its historic neighborhoods and streets. Its landmarks include the huge Royal Palace of Madrid; the Teatro Real (Royal theatre) with its restored 1850 Opera House; the Buen Retiro park, founded in 1631; the imposing 19th-century National Library building (founded in 1712) containing some of Spain's historical archives; an archaeological museum of international reputation; and three superb art museums: Prado Museum, which hosts one of the finest art collections in the world, the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, a museum of modern art, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, housed in the renovated Villahermosa Palace. The population of the city was 3.5 million (December 2005), while the estimated urban area population was 5.5 million. The entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area (urban area and suburbs) is calculated to be 5.84 million. The city spans a total of 607 square kilometres (234 sq mi). Following the restoration of democracy in 1975 and Spain's integration into the European Union, Madrid has played an increasing role in European finances, marking the city as one of the most important European metropolises. GeographyDespite the existence of a great city of 5 million people, the Community of Madrid still retains some remarkably unspoiled and diverse habitats and landscapes. Madrid is home to mountain peaks rising above 2,000m, holm oak dehesas and low lying plains. The slopes of Guadarrama are cloaked in dense forests of Scot`s pine and Pyrenean oak. The Lozoya Valley supports a large black (monk) vulture colony, and one of the last bastions of the Spanish Imperial Eagle in the world is found in the Park Regional del Suroeste in dehesa hills between the Gredos and Guadarrama ranges. The recent possible detection of the existence of Iberian lynx in the area between the Cofio and Alberche rivers is testament to the biodiversity of the area. However, much of this is currently under threat as the Spanish capital continues to sprawl ever outwards and upwards into the Sierra, fueled by speculation, yuppie dreams of Anglo-American lifestyles in detached homes and the policies of the regional government.When looking at a map of the Province of Madrid, it can be seen that it is almost an equilateral triangle, in whose center would be the city. It seems that Madrid's geographic limits turn out to be those of nature: on the western side the "Sistema Central" (the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains), the south represents the desire to include (the Royal Site of) Aranjuez and finally the eastern edge of the triangle comes from the rupture of the fluvial river basins. Province of Madrid occupies a surface area of approximately 8,028 km2 (1.6% of all Spanish territory). Being more specific the exact position of Madrid is 3º 40´ of longitude west of Greenwich, England and 40º 23´ north of the equator. Practically all of the Province is located between 600 and 1,000m above sea level, with the highest point being Peñalara at 2,430m and the lowest Alberche river in Villa del Prado at 430m. Other considerable heights, as well as being famous, are the Ball of the World mountain (la Bola del Mundo), in Navacerrada, at a height of 2,258m and the seven peaks, in Cercedilla, at 2,138m. ClimateThe region of Madrid has a temperate Mediterranean climate with cold winters with temperatures that sometimes drop below 0 °C (32 °F). Summer tends to be warm with temperatures that consistently surpass 30 °C (86 °F) in July and that can often reach 40 °C (104 °F). Due to Madrid's high altitude and dry climate, nightly temperatures tend to be cooler, leading to a lower average in the summer months. Precipitation levels are low, but precipitation can be observed all throughout the year. Summer and winter are the driest seasons, with most rainfall occurring in the autumn and spring. GalleriesEndowed by the Golden Triangle of Art, located along the Paseo del Prado and composed by 3 museums, Madrid is considered one of the top European destinations concerning art museums. The most famous one is the Prado Museum, the most popular Golden Triangle of Art member known for such highlights as Diego Velázquez's Las Meninas and Francisco de Goya's La Maja Vestida and La Maja Desnuda. The other two museums are the Thyssen Bornemisza Museum, established from a mixed private collection, and the Reina Sofia Museum, where Pablo Picasso's Guernica hangs since being returned to Spain from New York more than two decades ago.MuseumsNational Archaeological Museum of SpainNaval Museum Casa-Museo José Padilla Casa-Museo Manuel Benedito Museo de Antropologia Médica Museo De La Farmacia Hispana Museo Del Reloj Grassy City attractionsPlaza MayorGran Via Casón del Buen Retiro Palacio Real Templo de Debod El Rastro Puerta del Sol Parque del Buen Retiro Torre España Faro de Moncloa Puerta de Europa Puerta de Alcalá Glorieta de Bilbao Estadio Santiago Bernabéu Estadio Vicente Calderón Parque de Atracciones de Madrid Plaza de Cibeles Palacio De Liria Teatro Real Auditorio Nacional de Musica Teatro Monumental Teatro de la Zarzuela Centro Cultural de la Villa Teatro de la Abadía Círculo de Bellas Artes Teatro Español Teatro de la Comedia Cafe Central (Madrid's top Jazz venue.) Wikipedia.org Districts01.Centro, 02.Arganzuela, 03.Retiro, 04.Salamanca, 05.Chamartin, 06.Tetuan, 07.Chamberi, 08.Fuencarral-El Pardo and 15.Ciudad LinealAirports nearbyBarajas (MAD) 13.1 kmLodging in MadridHotels in Madrid |