Madrid
Urban Geography
Madrid ,situated in the parallel 40 (New Castile Plateau) is the geographical center of the Iberian Peninsula.
The soil (sand hills tertiary) is at 650 meters above sea level.
The reproduction of the colour scheme of its sky gave universal fame to the great painters of all time : Don Diego de Silva y Velezquez. The beautiful skies of Madrid are called "Velázquez" after them.
The meteorologists say that Madrid is one of the European cities with the largest number of days of clear skies per year.
Madrid springs have the sunshine and the clear air that smells like presssed cistus.
The autumn sky is transparent , 'velázquezenos' with lukewarm air.
King Philip 3, born in Madrid, made it the definite capital of Spain since 1606, from which sprung Don Quixote to the whole world.
Just one year earlier his first press edition of Juan de la Cuesta was released in Madrid's Atocha Street.
Madrid has a small river, the Manzanares, with little water, lots of great literature and historical bridges.
It is divided by radial roads reaching to the outskirts of the city with its renowned "Kilometrocero. "
Madrid has grown substantially in recent decades.
It is already a capital of over four million inhabitants, with an extension of 531 square kilometers in the municipality.It is filled with great antiques of historical thrill and some modern artifacts of great value.
It is important to know the different Madrids (the plural is not a twist of tongue or language quirk ,it is a matter of fact.)
There is a Madrid of the Austrians and Philips,that of the Bourbons or Carlos and the Goya Madrid.
That of the Prado Museum, romantic or Elizabethan Madrid . That of Galdos ' novels (our Balzac, Our Dickens.)
There is the picturesque Madrid of Rastro , that of the bullfighters, the "dancers" of flamenco, antique dealers and artists and other Madrids .... left to know about.
You have to live in Madrid to tell about it.