 Madrid
Art, flamenco, tapas & golf
by R. Bourone & C. Jaricott
The capital of
Spain since 1562, is located right in the center of the Castillian plain in the center of
the Iberian Peninsula at 650 meters above sea. La Plazza de la Lealtad is located on the
geographical center of the capital in front of the famous Prado Museum and that's the
reason why Cesar Ritz and the Marques of Guadalmina erected there a hundred years the Ritz
Hotel of Madrid. A central place to start from for visiting the city and golfing around.
Madrid August 2003
The history of Madrid goes back to the Roman Empire but
it was Mohamed I who erected a fortress on the site of the actual Palacio Real in the
ninth century. In spite of the Christian invasion in 1080 by Alfonso IV, Madrid has had to
wait until 1562 to become capital of Spain. In fact Philip II transferred the royal court
from the venerable Toledo to Madrid, influenced by the presence of the Sierra Guadarrama
where he wanted to build the famous great monastery of El Escorial dedicated to Saint
Lawrence and where all the Spanish Kings since the Emperor Carlos V have been buried in a
very impressive marble Pantéon de los Reyes.
If the Habsburgs have been conquistadores always
expanding all around the world and to the North East of Europe, their successors in the
1700's, the Bourbons, have been very peaceful promoting new administrative reforms and
restoring the city's economy. So Madrid experienced an unprecedented development thanks to
the contribution of celebrated French and Italian architects.
Wars, fratricidal struggles, demographic revolutions and
military pronouncements marked the end of the long peace of the Bourbon dynasty at the
beginning of the 19th century with the Napoleonic occupation. So when on May 2, 1808,
hearing that Ferdinando VII had been deposed and that Joseph Bonaparte, brother of the
"tyrant of Europe", had taken the throne, the populace of Madrid revolted
against the "apes" of the French cavalry, lighting the first fire of resistance
to the invaders. The fieriest episode in the Madrid's history is memorable to all Spanish
people and has been immortalized by the brush of Goya (one of his major masterpieces
exposed on the walls of the Prado) and by an obelisk placed by Ferdinando VII in the
Plazza Lealthal (in front of the Ritz Hotel).
After the short Bonapartist reign, Ferdinando and his
daughter Isabella enriched the city with new monuments and palaces, gardens and fountains,
public parks and three lined large avenues. La Puerta de Toledo, la Puerta de Alcala, la
Plazza de Independencia, la Banco de Espana, the Ministry of Agriculture, the
Communication Center, the Church of Nuestra Senora de Atocha and many other great
buildings have been erected at that time. They have given to Madrid its actual style even
if the city has become an important financial, commercial and industrial European
integrated business center and one of most attractive city in the world.
 Where to play
What to see
Where to stay
Information |
|
Madrid's general view over the Royal Palace
Colombus place is part of the modern city
while May 2, 1808 (here painted by Goya) is a great date in the Spanish history
The Ritz Hotel, plazza Lealtad
and the unique sport complex of Club de Camp Villa Madrid
|
REPORTS | GOLFNOTES | ARCHIVES | E-MAIL 
