Mayrit of the Habsburgs

The Muslim Moors crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and they began their conquest the Visigothic Kingdom of Hispania in 711. That invasion was better known as the Umayyad conquest of Hispania of 711. That marked their conquest on the Iberian Peninsula. Having invaded most of the Pyrenees, they imposed their rule which lasted in Spain till the 13^th century (or about 300 years in most of the Iberian territories). This faith followed even the Spanish capital, i.e….

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One of the most central parts of Madrid, is actually the place where the city was born. It started as a citadel built on the banks of the Manzanares River. It was commissioned by Moor Emir Muhammad ben Abd al Rahman (Emir of Córdoba) and it was given the Arab name of Mayrit. The Moors availed of the very strategic location (on the top of a hill overlooking la Sierra de Guadarrama) when they organized attacks and incursions against the Christian kingdoms to the north in order to protect Toledo.

Nowadays we can still see the remains of Muralla Árabe (the Arab Wall) in Parque Emir Mohamed as well Cuesta de La Vega which is a street that lies on a ravine that was the natural defence of the Arab citadel. A myriad of tiny houses, Christian churches and winding streets adorned the surrounding area around the ancient Moorish citadel. Later the citadel and all other buildings were replaced by a Gothic building and finally by el Palacio Real de Madrid (the Royal Palace of Madrid) and its enormous gardens.

This central district of the capital grew and flourished under the Habsburg dynasty in the 16^th century. They ruled Spain and contributed by stimulating the enrichment of the city by building remarkable palaces and monuments. That’s why the area is often nicknamed as Madrid de los Austrias (or Madrid of the Habsburgs).  And what are the places you can enjoy in this central area of the Spanish capital?

Of course, we shall start our journey from the busiest and best known square of Madrid, namely Puerta de Sol. It is the heart of the city and a gathering point of tourists and locals alike. This semi-circular square has its own clock tower which is famous especially on New Year’s Eve. The whole plaza is full of people who gaze at it and count down the left 12 seconds of the last year. At the same time the clock bells mark the tradition of eating Twelve Grapes while making 12 wishes (1 wish and 1 grape for each month of next year). At midnight sharp the clock bells announce the New Year which replaces the old one.

The clock decorates la Casa de Correos which is home to the Community of Madrid’s Autonomous Government. Kilometre Zero which is the starting point of the six national roads of Spain is just in front of it. As to monuments in the square, there are three of them: the replica of Mariblanca statue and the Monument to Carlos III.  The third one is the official symbol of Madrid. El Oso y El Madroño is a 20-ton bronze statue of the Bear and the Strawberry Tree by sculptor Antonio Navarro Santa Fe. It was constructed in 1967, however, the bear and the tree have been part of the coat of arms of the city since 1212. And here is why.

This was the year when troops from Madrid were recorded carrying a flag for the first time. It showed a bear surrounded by the seven stars of the constellation Ursa Major (the Greater She-Bear). By the way, the woods in this part of the Iberian Peninsula were densely populated by bears in ancient Roman times. That’s why the Roman settlement also bore the name Ursalia. Unfortunately, poor bears were driven away from the forests near Madrid long, long time ago and only one bear remained – the one sniffing a strawberry tree in the centre of the Spanish capital.  Maybe you’re asking your selves why exactly a Madroño.

Well, the legend says that a strawberry tree was added to the coat of arms of Madrid only ten years later, i.e. in 1222, as result of a dispute between the city council and church. Both parties pretended for the forests and fields near Madrid which were a vital and important resource King Alfonso VIII managed to put a final stop to the dispute in question by stating that trees and the surrounding land would belong to the city, while the church would possess animals. Thus both parties would be responsible for keeping the area well. The King’s decision was really very wise and accepted by both sides immediately. Moreover, they altered the city’s coat of arms by adding a tree to it.