1. Madrid

2.  Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain, located in the center. It has more than 3 million inhabitants, is also the capital of the Community of Madrid, which is part of one of the 17 autonomous communities of Spain. In Madrid agglomeration has more than 6 million people. Populations is the third largest in the EU (after London and Berlin), and its metropolitan area is the third largest in the EU (after London and Paris) [1].  It is the political center of the country home of the government and the Spanish King Juan Carlos I. Since 2003, the Mayor Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón, who previously led the Community of Madrid and was replaced as the former mayor Manzana. Both are members of the same political party Partido Popular.  From international organizations occupied by the World Tourism Organisation (WTO). Madrid is an influential cultural center with world-famous museums such as the Museo del Prado, Thyssen-Bornemisza and Reina Sofía.

3.  History  The territory of the present-day city was inhabited in prehistoric times. [2] During the Roman Empire, the territory belonged to the diocese of Complutum (today Alcalá de Henares) was created as a Muslim fortress founded on the remains of Visigothic settlement of the 7th century. The origin of the present town began in the 9th century, when the site of today's Royal Palace built by Mohamed I. small palace. Around this palace was built a small citadel al-Mudaina. Near the palace flowed River Manzanares, which the Arabs called al-Majra (arab. المجريط - water source). It was established term interest Majer, which later evolved into the current Madrid.  Citadel conquered in 1083 the Christian king of Castile and León Alfonz VI., When their progress to Toledo. Local mosque then consecrated as a Christian church. In 1329 created at the initiative of Ferdinand IV. in general Kortesa. Local Sephardi Jews and Mauri lived in the 15th century, when they were expelled.  In 1561 the municipality chosen as the seat of his Justice Philip II., Which became the first permanent capital of the Spanish monarchy. With the exception of the period from 1601 to 1606, when it was the capital of Valladolid, a short period during the Spanish Civil War, when the government was located first in Valencia and Barcelona, ​​ Madrid is the capital today.

4.  architecture  Even though Madrid is a modern city with modern infrastructure and a number of sights of the city maintain the historic character. Examples include Royal Palace, Royal Theatre, Buen Retiro park from 1631 and the building of the National Library of the 19th century, which houses the Archaeological Museum, and there are preserved several Spanish national monuments. In the city there are three spectacular art museum. Museo del Prado, Museum of Modern Art, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía and Thyssen-Bornemisza.

5. Puerta de Europa Puerta de Europa  Puerta de Europa or Torres KIO are administrative high-rise buildings - twins in Madrid.  They were designed by US architects Philip Johnson and John Bugreem and built by Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas [1] on the order of 1996 of Kuwait Investment Office (hence its original name "Torres KIO" or "KIO Towers"). Each building is 115 m high inclination of 15 °. The towers are located close to the railway station Chamartin-side bus station Plaza Castilla, north of Paseo de la Castellana, near the Cuatro Torres Business Area.  After financial problems KIO investor was forced to sell the building. Their new owners of the bank Caja Madrid and Real Estate REAL Bussines, SA (owned bank Caja Madrid).

6. Cervantes Institute  Cervantes Institute is an institution founded in 1991 by Spain, the promotion and teaching of Spanish and fostering a culture of Spain and other Hispanic-speaking countries. The headquarters of the institution is located in Madrid and Alcalá de Henares (Madrid), which is the birth place of the writer Miguel de Cervantes.  institution also focuses on:  The organization tests DELE - Diplomas of Spanish as a foreign language, as well as to the transfer of official certificates and diplomas to the participants of our courses  Arranging courses  Organizing training courses for teachers of Spanish  Promoting hispanicist in their activities  Encouraging cultural activities in collaboration with other organizations

7. Plaza de España   The tiled 'Province Alcoves' along the walls of the Plaza de España.  The Plaza de España, designed by Aníbal González, was a principal building built on the Maria Luisa Park's edge to showcase Spain's industry and technology exhibits. González combined a mix of 1920s Art Deco and 'mock Mudejar', and Neo-Mudéjar styles. The Plaza de España complex is a huge half-circle with buildings continually running around the edge accessible over the moat by numerous bridges representing the four ancient kingdoms of Spain. In the centre is the Vicente Traver fountain. By the walls of the Plaza are many tiled alcoves, each representing a different province of Spain.[4] Aníbal GonzálezArt DecoNeo-Mudéjar[4]Aníbal GonzálezArt DecoNeo-Mudéjar[4]  Today the Plaza de España mainly consists of Government buildings. The Seville Town Hall, with sensitive adaptive redesign, is located within it. The Plaza's tiled 'Alcoves of the Provinces' are backdrops for visitors portrait photographs, taken in their own home province's alcove. Towards the end of the park, the grandest mansions from the fair have been adapted as museums. The farthest contains the city's archaeology collections. The main exhibits are Roman mosaics and artefacts from nearby Italica.  The Plaza de España has been used as a filming location, including scenes for the 1962 film Lawrence of Arabia. The building was used as a location in the Star Wars movie series — Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999) and Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002) — in which it featured in exterior shots of the City of Theed on the Planet Naboo.[5] It also featured in the 2012 film The Dictator. filming locationLawrence of Arabialocation in the Star Wars movie seriesStar Wars Episode I: The Phantom MenaceStar Wars Episode II: Attack of the ClonesTheedNaboo[5]The Dictatorfilming locationLawrence of Arabialocation in the Star Wars movie seriesStar Wars Episode I: The Phantom MenaceStar Wars Episode II: Attack of the ClonesTheedNaboo[5]The Dictator  The Seville City Hall is not located at the Plaza de España. The central government departments are. Seville City HallSeville City Hall

8. Palacio de Comunicaciones  The Palacio de Comunicaciones (also called Palace of Telecommunications and since 2011, Palacio de Cibeles) is an integrated two white buildings located in one of the centers of historic Madrid set. They are erected on one side of the Plaza de Cibeles and occupy about 30,000 square meters of which were the old Buen Retiro.3 Site selection generated some controversy in his day for Madrid deprive a playground. 4 The first stone was laid in 1907 and officially inaugurated on March 14, 1919, beginning its operation as modern distribution center post, telegraph and telephones. After some architectural changes outside the building such as the extension on two floors to the street and passage Montalbán- and in 2007 he began to house the municipal offices of the City of Madrid, transferring its dependencies from the Casa de la Villa and House Cisneros, both located in the Plaza de la Villa. This reform of early twenty-first century in the building also included a cultural area called "CentroCentro".  The set is from the point of view of Spanish architecture one of the first examples of modernist architecture, and more representative, erected in the center of Madrid.5 De ​​ facade with neoplaterescas evocations and Baroque salmantino.6 The building through local competition, was designed by the young Spanish architects Antonio Palacios and Joaquin Otamendi to host the Post and Telegraph Company of Spain, 7 these authors were also bridge projects Bilbao, Madrid and casino bridge of San Sebastián. This work was the beginning of the meteoric career of both constructive architects. The decorative motifs of the facade and the interior were made by the romantic sculptor Ángel Díaz García, a regular contributor to Antonio Palacios.8 One of the design goals was to build "a building for the public."  The buildings, after construction and due to normal operation, were gradually accusing modifications, which further reforms to improve communication systems were performed. Thus modifications were carried out in both buildings in the 60s, directed by Alejandro de la Sota and repair and reforms between 1980 and 1992 by Antonio de Sala-Navarro Reverter. The decline in the use of mail to late twentieth century was slowly making a dent in the functions of all buildings, as a result was losing ground. In 1993 he was declared of Cultural Interest, with category Monumento.9 early twenty-first century, he joined the municipal heritage and became a cultural center and town hall in Madrid.

10. Royal Palace, Madrid  History of the palace  Construction of the palace began in 1738 by the architect Filippo Juvary, which, however, were largely altered his pupil Juan Bautista Sachettim. Completion, expansion and construction decoration took Francesco Sabatini. First monarch who settled permanently in the palace, was Charles III. Spanish.  The palace was the residence of the Spanish kings in 1931. We continue to be held there important meetings, official state acts and ceremonies, while the private residence of the royal family's palace Zarzuela, where the royal couple housed since 1962, when Juan Carlos refused to inhabit the Royal Palace.  The last king who lived here permanently, Alfons XIII. Spanish. Then, still resided in the palace Manuel Azaña, president of the Second Spanish Republic, and was thus the last head of state, who lived here. At that time the residence was called the Palacio Nacional, "National Palace". To date, in addition to maintaining the royal chapel room known as Azañova office. Another sign is used Palacio de Oriente, according to the Plaza de Oriente in eastern façade of the palace (located in the west of the historic city center).  The interior of the palace stands the artistic riches, whether the selected materials used in the construction and decoration of the rooms, all kinds of art, among which we find paintings of Caravaggio, Velázquez, Goya frescoes by Corrado Giaquinto, Tiepolo and Mengs. Among other valuable items include Royal Armouries exhibits, collections of tapestries, porcelain, clocks and furniture.

11.  THE END