MADRID

by Vanesa Urrutia, Estefania Somoza, Francisco Martin and Aitor Fernandez

Some photographs                                                                             History of Madrid

Here you have some pictures  of Madrid, old and new:

This is the emblem of Madrid: the bear and the strawberry tree, at Puerta del Sol:

Here you have a drawing of Madrid made by van Wyngarde in 1561. It is the first representation of Madrid that is known up to now:

The old Retiro park in the 18th century:

And the present one:

The Madrid Puerta del Sol in 1868:

The Puerta del Sol now:

The old Plaza Mayor in the 17th century (Municipal Museum):

And the modern one:

The Prado Museum: The Meninas went out of Velazquez's painting!!!:

Many people of Madrid said: No to the war on Iraq:

History of Madrid                          

Although it is possible that its history dates back to prehistory because there is some evidence of prehistoric remains found along the banks of the Manzanares river, its demonstrable origins date back to the 9th century with the building of the fort Mayrit by the emir Muhammad I where the Royal Palace stands today. The name Mayrit means: �place of many springs�, then apparently it changed to Magerit and then to Madrid.

In 1085 Madrid was taken by the Christians under Alfonso VI, although the Muslims tried to recover it in 1110, but with Alfonso VII they surrendered little by little.

In 1118 the first municipal charter was passed, it regulated an essentially agrarian society which evolved into an urban society, as demonstrated in the municipal charter passed by Alfonso VIII in 1202.

In 1329 the king Fernando V assembled the court of Madrid for the first time. From 14^th century on Madrid became one of the favourite kings� residences. Enrique IV gave Madrid the title of �Very Noble and Loyal�.                                               

After Carlos I�s abdication Madrid�s destiny changed when Felipe II decided to locate the Court in Madrid in 1561, being situated in the centre of the recently unified Spain. There was a growth in the building industry. He began the building of the monastery of El Escorial.

Between 1550 and 1650 the population grew from 20,000 to over 150,000. A lot of convents and monasteries were founded. The palace of El Buen Retiro was built, which was a a royal village on the east side of the city. Felipe III inaugurated the Plaza Mayor, planned by Felipe II.                                                               

In 1706 Felipe V, the first Bourbon inherited the throne and new palaces were built: the Royal palace , the Aranjuez Royal palace, etc, but Madrid din�t reach the distinction of an authentic royal capital until Carlos III.

With Carlos III (1716-1788) Madrid improved its appearance. During his reign there was a popular revolt against the rules taken against delinquency. The people of Madrid said at that time: �the best mayor is the king�. The dirty streets were cleaned, games of chance prohibited, street lighting installed, museums created. The work on the Royal palace was completed, as the city gates: Toledo gate, Segovia gate and Alcala Gate, the Botanical gardens, the Retiro park was improved, and he built the Cibeles fountain, Neptuno fountain, etc.

Carlos IV inherited the throne and the people of Madrid revolted. The government was managed by the Prime Minister Godoy and it fell in the riot of Aranjuez driven by the prince Fernando VII�s conspiracy against his father. The king abdicated but the reign of Fernando VII was short because in May 1808 the French troops entered Madrid and Jose Bonaparte, Napoleon�s brother was installed as the new ruler.There was a rebellion against the French troops and the main leaders were shot. After the Independence war (1814) Fernando VII returned to the throne and he annulled the liberal Cadiz Constitution of 1812.

For some years the power took turns between absolutists and liberals until 1833 when Isabel II inherited the throne and its reign ended with the revolt of the popular front directed by Prim, whose aim was to dethronE the Bourbon dinasty.                                                                                            

In 1873 the First Republic was proclaimed, but it only lasted two years. In 1875 the monarchy was restored with Alfonso XII. Madrid experience significant social changes  with the emergence of a genuine working class. The Socialist party was founded in 1879. The population grew from 200,000 at the end of the 18^th century to 300,000 by the 1860s.

When Alfonso XII died, Alfonso XII inherithed the throne  and continued to encourage the development of Madrid. The social differences among Madrid inhabitants became bigger and the working class adopted Marxist tendencies. Madrid was the scene of events that caused a social revolution, to a dictatorship and to the start of the second Republic.

During 1936-39 there was the Civil War. Madrid was one of the cities most affected. The dictator Franco installed himself until 1975 when he died. Madrid grew in spite of everything. Monarchy was reinstalled in the figure of Juan Carlos I that under a democracy setting is the King of Spain. In 1979 the first government was voted by citizens and the mayor Tierno Galvan enriched Madrid culturally. In 1992 Madrid was the European Cultural Capital.

At present Alberto Ruiz Gallardon is the president of the Autonomous Community of Madrid and Alvarez del Manzano is the mayor.

Sources: Madrid. Hugh Thomas. Grijalbo; Madrid. S. Baskett. Penguin. http:/www.geocities.com.