Madrid, the vibrant capital of Spain, is a cosmopolitan city filled with history, culture, art and countless hidden gems. It’s a stunning destination that offers endless opportunities for exploration, making it a must-see on any Spanish itinerary.
With so much to uncover and to get to know the inspiring city even better, we have compiled some intriguing and interesting facts about Madrid that will spark your curiosity and will inspire you to explore the city even more.
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So start preparing your journey with these fascinating, little-known and fun Madrid facts and get ready for your epic Spanish adventure.
1. Madrid was founded in the 9th century
Muhammad I, emir of Córdoba had a fortress constructed in 865 as part of a chain of fortified areas on the peninsula of which one was built on the site which is now Madrid. This fortress was built on the left bank of the river Manzanares. Even though the history of the area dates back to around 2000 BC, the construction of the military outpost was the first documented history of Madrid.
2. Madrid derived its name from this new settlement
When the Muslims had built the fortress, they called it Mayrit or Magerit, derived from the Arabic word majra, meaning water channel or flow of water.
3. Madrid became capital city of Spain in 1561
In 1561 King Philip II moved the royal court from Toledo, which was up until that time the capital of Spain, to Madrid. This shift was quite significant and also marked the economic and political development of Madrid. An interesting fact is that Toledo is only 70 km (44 miles) south of Madrid, but King Philip II had his reasons to move his court.
4. Madrid is the 2nd highest capital city in Europe
With an elevation of 657 metres (2155 ft), Madrid is the second highest capital city in Europe, after Andorra La Vella, the capital city of Andorra.
5. The emblem of Madrid is a bear and a strawberry tree
The Bear and the Strawberry Tree, or El Oso y el Madroño were first used in the 13th century as an emblem on a seal to sign an agreement ending a dispute over land rights. Both the bear and the strawberry tree symbolized the woodlands and wildlife central to the conflict. This resolution led to the symbol being adopted as the official emblem of Madrid, featuring on its coat of arms. The symbol is a bear standing on his hind legs feasting on a strawberry tree.
This emblem was made into a bronze sculpture by Antonio Navarro Santafé and can be admired in the Puerta del Sol.
6. A liquor is made from the fruits of the Madroño tree
The red and berry like fruits of the Madroño tree (Arbutus unedo) resemble a strawberry, hence its English name. A traditional liquor is made from the fruits of this Arbutus unedo or Madroño tree, called Madroño liquor. It is not that common to drink amongst locals and you won’t often find it on the drinks menu, but as it holds a strong connection to Madrid’s heritage, it’s definitely one of the Spanish drinks to try while visiting Madrid.
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7. All Spain’s national roads start from Kilometro Zero
A small stone plaque on the Puerta del Sol in the city centre of Madrid marks the point from which distances for the national roads in Spain are measured. All 6 national roads start from the marker Kilómetro Zero. This stone slab marks the geographical centre of mainland Spain and was placed there in 1950.
8. Madrid is home to the oldest restaurant in the world
Madrid is home to the world’s oldest continuously operating restaurant, according to the Guinness Book of Records. Established in 1725 near Madrid’s Plaza Mayor, Sobrino de Botín specializes in traditional Spanish cuisine. Their signature dish is ‘cochinillo asado’ (roasted suckling pig), one of the Spanish foods you really need to try, and it’s delicious.
9. It’s the 2nd largest city in the European Union by population
The city of Madrid has an estimated population of 3.3 million, making it the second largest city by population density in the European Union, after Berlin.
10. The Palacio Real is the largest functioning palace in Europe
The Royal Palace or Palacio Real in Madrid was designed by the Italian architect Filippo Juvarra and constructed mid 18th century. With a floorspace of 135,000 m2 (or 1,450,000 sq ft) and over 3000 rooms, it is considered to be the largest functioning palace in Europe.
11. El Rastro is the most famous flea market
Every Sunday morning, the Madrileños and of course many tourists head to the La Latina neighbourhood for one of the most vibrant and popular flea markets in Spain.
Dating back to the 17th century, El Rastro, meaning ‘the trail’ got its name from the slaughterhouses that were found in the area. They left a trail of blood on the streets when the animal carcasses and the spoils were dragged to the loading wagons and the tanneries.
The Rastro is in Calle de la Ribera de Curtidores and the side alleys where over 1000 merchants sell arts, crafts, furniture, paintings, souvenirs, clothes and other random items.
Lots of locals visit the market as a morning out and end with a drink and some tapas in the cozy bars in the area. It’s a great atmosphere, a wonderful place to get together and meet people, so it can get very crowded.
12. Madrid is home to an Egyptian temple
The Templo de Debod is an ancient Egyptian temple originally built in the 2nd century BC, near the river Nile in Egypt. This temple and many others had to be relocated in the 1960s due to the construction of the Aswan High Dam. It was dismantled and donated to Spain in 1968 by the Egyptian government as a gesture of gratitude for Spain’s help and assistance to preserve and save valuable monuments. The temple was rebuilt stone by stone in Madrid and is highly recommend to visit. Not only for the temple, but also for the views from the surrounding park.
13. San Isidro is the Patron Saint of Madrid
San Isidro was a humble farmer born and raised in Madrid. Living in the 12th century, he dedicated his life to working the fields and to his deep religious faith. Despite his poverty, San Isidro was known for his generosity toward those even less fortunate. San Isidro became the patron saint of Madrid because of the numerous miracles attributed to him during his lifetime.
San Isidro was canonized in 1622 by Pope Gregory XV in Rome.
14. San Isidro is celebrated on the 15th of May
As San Isidro died on the 15th of May in the 12th century, this date is honoured as the feast day of San Isidro. The day is celebrated in Madrid with parades, pilgrimages, performances, traditional costumes and countless other activities which are held all over the city. It is one of the most important celebrations of Madrid and it’s well worth visiting the city during that time.
15. Madrid is home to the golden triangle of art
Madrid’s Golden Triangle of Art comprises three world-renowned museums located along the Paseo del Prado, housing some of the most important art collections globally.
The Prado Museum (Museo del Prado) is one of the most famous art museums in the world. It has an extensive collection of European art from the 12th up until the 20th century with a major focus on Spanish artists.
The main highlights to visit are ‘Las Meninas’ by Velázquez, ‘The Third of May 1808’ by Goya and ‘The Garden of Earthly Delights’ by Bosch. When in Madrid a visit to the Prado Museum is a real highlight of your visit to the city.
The Reina Sofía Museum (Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía) focuses on modern and contemporary art with a focus on Spanish artists. The main highlight is the painting ‘Guernica’ by Pablo Picasso.
Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza houses very diverse and comprehensive collections from the 13th up until the 20th century, complementing the art in both the Prado and the Reina Sofía museum. It is one of the largest private art collections in the world
16. The Cibeles Fountain plays an important symbolic role for football club Real Madrid
The Fuente de Cibeles or the Cibeles Fountain is a central location and important for the number one football club in Madrid, Real Madrid. When Real Madrid wins an important game, like the Spanish or European competition, both the team and the fans will go to and meet at the Cibeles Fountain to celebrate.
The Cibeles Fountain features a statue of the Roman goddess Cibeles, representing fertility and abundance. Upon winning an important competition it is tradition that The captain of Real Madrid will dress the statue of Cibeles with a flag of the team as a symbol of Madrid’s success.
17. Football club Atlétic Madrid celebrates at Neptune’s Fountain
The same goes for the cities other important football club, Atlétic Madrid, but they celebrate at the fountain of Neptune, about 500 metres further down the Paseo del Prado. The fountain features a statue of Neptune, the Roman god symbolising sea and power.
18. Cervantes was buried in Madrid
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra was a Spanish writer who lived during the last 16th and early 17th century. He is best known for his novel Don Quixote, widely recognized as the first modern novel.
The last 10 years of his life he lived in Madrid where he refined and completed Don Quixote, which was first published in 1605 and after revision republished in 1615. Cervantes died in 1616 and was buried in Madrid’s Convent of the Trinitarians.
In honour of the famous writer, there is a statue of Cervantes on the Plaza de España, accompanied by his two most famous characters, Don Quixote and Sancho Panza.
19. Madrid has a strong public transport system
Madrid’s public transport system is highly regarded for its efficiency and coverage. The metro of Madrid is one of the largest in Europe, with a network spanning 295 km and 302 stations in the Autonomous Community of Madrid. It ranks as the fourth largest metro network in the world in terms of both the number of stations and its overall extent.
The public transport integrates Metro, buses and commuter trains (Cercanías) with the same fare structure making it easy for travellers to transfer between modes of transport.
There are also over 15000 taxis in Madrid and this in combination with the excellent public transport system that runs 24/7, it is really easy to get around in Madrid at any time of day and night.
20. Madrid’s Central train station has a tropical garden inside
Atocha Station is the largest and main train station in Madrid. The most striking feature of Atocha is the large tropical garden inside the station. Covering an area of approximately 4000 m2 (43000 square feet) it is one of the largest indoor gardens in a train station. It houses over 7000 plants from 260 different species, such as palm trees, bamboo, ferns and orchids.
The garden was inaugurated in 1992 as part of a renovation project. Apart from being a transport hub, it’s currently a popular attraction to visit when in Madrid.
21. Madrid has some of the freshest fish and seafood
Merca Madrid is the largest European wholesale market for perishable foods and the second largest in the world after Tsukiji in Tokyo. Most perishable foods that are distributed are fresh meat, fruits, vegetables, dairy, fish and seafood.
It is also one of the largest fish and seafood markets in Europe. This is also the reason that even though Madrid is not a coastal city, it has some of the best and freshest fish and seafood in Spain. Because of demand, extensive distribution networks have been set up to bring the seafood to Madrid, almost 500km from the nearest sea/ocean.
22. Green spaces are abundant in Madrid
Madrid is known for its extensive green spaces making it a great city for urban life where a green park is never far away. Apart from some of the more well known larger parks there are lots of smaller parks, green areas and gardens scattered throughout the city close to residential areas often with benches and playgrounds.
The largest parks are the Retiro Park, Casa de Campo, Madrid Río and El Capricho park.
23. Madrid Río was a successful redevelopment project
The ring road M30 used to run along the Manzanares river in Madrid. By moving part of the M30 into underground tunnels, the riverbanks were allowed to be converted into green spaces, pedestrian paths and recreational areas.
The redevelopment project converted the area into a 10-kilometer long stretch of extensive green space to restore the river’s ecological health and improve urban quality of life for residents and visitors. Madrid Río is located in the southern and western part of the city.
24. Madrid is one of the sunniest cities in Europe
With on average 2800 hours of sunlight per year or more than 300 days of sun, it is one of the sunniest cities in Europe making it a perfect year round destination to visit for a city break. But while it may be sunny almost all year round, it does get quite chilly in the winter with a chance of snow.
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