MADRID. URBANMATTERS TOUR to Madrid for Universidad Francisco de Vitoria & Haute Ecole Paysagère d Architecture et d Ingénierie de Genève students

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1 MADRID URBANMATTERS TOUR to Madrid for Universidad Francisco de Vitoria & Haute Ecole Paysagère d Architecture et d Ingénierie de Genève students QUALITY ARCHITEC

2 MADRID GENERAL INFORMATION Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. It is located at the geographical center of the Iberian Peninsula, in the middle of the Spanish central Castillian plateau (Meseta central), at an average altitude of 650m. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million with a metropolitan area population of almost 6.5 million. Madrid is best known for its great cultural and artistic heritage but also boasts one of the most famous liveliest nightlife in the world. CLIMATE The climate of Madrid is continental; mainly dry and quite extreme at times. Madrid sees perpetual sunshine and a characteristically hot and dry summer, however, a fairly cold winter with frequent frosts during the night and a occasional snowfall in the city center that even allows people ski at the near ski areas located at the high range of mountains just 35 minutes away from the city. Spring and autumn are mild with the most rainfall concentrated in these seasons. CULTURE The culture of Madrid was dominated by its Royal history, centre of the Spanish Empire. The Royal Palace, big places and buildings used by the Spanish Monarchy, enormous churches are plentiful in Madrid, as well as medieval architecture, although nowadays Madrid is just as much a cosmopolitan city as Berlin or London, full of new architecture, lifestyle and culture. As Spanish Capital, Madrid has meant the different establishment for most Spaniards. During the 2nd Republic ( ) was a bustling city of new ideas. Being capital of the Franquist dictatorship ( ) made the city still seemed to represent a conservative part of Spain. However, the city is also the epicentre of the famous Movida, Spain s 80s movement that bred personalities such as the director Pedro Almodóvar. The heritage of this era is indeed still visible in the city centre, where a party can be found at all times and one of the most liberal and colourful environments of Spain can be seen. The city is also known for its great gay tolerance. 2 Bustling Gran Vía during the day and night

3 The citizens of Madrid, who refer to themselves as Madrileños or the more traditional and currently seldom used term Gatos (Cats), live by a daily routine that is heavily influenced by the climate. Due to the typically midday heat during summer, a siesta (short nap) can be still observed during which some citizens take a break to cool off, though Madrileños can usually only afford this luxury during holidays and weekends. Most stores are open during all the day; just small stores are often closed during this time. Workers and those more afflicted by Western lifestyles choose not to observe this long break and work traditional business hours, which are usually between 9 am and 6-7 pm. During summer many offices, however, will have a summer schedule requiring workers to start at 8 am and finish at 3 pm (most commonly without the standard 1-2 hour break for lunch). Offices usually close during the weekend but businesses are often open Saturday morning (Normally stays open until afternoon). Most grocers are closed on Sundays, but some major chain and department stores linked to culture (books, music, etc.) will be open throughout the day and all of them on the first Sunday of the month as well. Shops and department stores around Puerta del Sol and Gran Vía area open every day. Madrid possibly has the largest number of bars per capita of any European city and a very active nightlife; Madrileños are known to stay up until as late as 5 am - 7 am. It is quite common to see a really crowded Gran Vía on weekend nights. Madrid proudly sports one of the best public transportation networks in the world and hosts the second largest metro network in Europe, second only to London s. Buses and subways form an integrated network and work with the same tickets. The city contrasts with some large European cities in that it is extremely clean, and city employees in bright yellow vests can almost always be seen cleaning the streets and sidewalks. Madrid is one of the biggest and most cosmopolitan cities in Europe. Communities of Africans, other Europeans, Chinese, Filipinos, Pakistanis and especially Latin Americans are prominent. Plaza Mayor inserted in the medieval footprint Highest towers of Spain (Cuatro torres) at Castellana avenue 3

4 MADRID RÍO TOUR SCHEDULE (Led by architect Enrique Ibáñez González) MONDAY 23rd, FEBRUARY :00 WORKSHOP PRESENTATION: F. Samaran - E Farini Universidad Francisco de Vitoria Workshop organisation: E Farini / Pablo Ramos Universidad Francisco de Vitoria LECTURE MADRID CENTRO PROJECT Universidad Francisco de Vitoria Lecturer Gemma Peribañez architect. Ezquiaga office partner. 11:00 11:30 COFFEE BREAK Universidad Francisco de Vitoria LECTURE: MADRID RIO. INFRASTRUCTURE AND LANDSCAPE Universidad Francisco de Vitoria Lecturer Enrique Ibáñez González, architect director of Urbanmatters and exproject leader of West 8 urban design & landscape architecture office :15 DEPARTURE TO MADRID RIO START OF MADRID-RÍO TOUR. Metro Príncipe Pío (L6, L10, Ramal Ópera) -Meeting point and welcome at Príncipe Pío entrance of Madrid-Río Park. Enrique Ibáñez González, architect director of Urbanmatters and ex-project leader of West 8 urban design & landscape architecture office, will meet the group at the entrance of the park located at Príncipe Pío Circle, by the park information panels and the European flag. A short introduction about Madrid-Río will be given from this panoramic view balcony at Príncipe Pío. We will walk down to the park where we will have a first touching contact with all the details of the overall project at Puente del Rey, Puerta del Rey and Explanada del Rey. We will pay special attention to the impact on the city: traffic, public space improvement, community/liveability etc. but also to the technical, social and political specifications of the process and realization of a park built on top of a tunnel. For example, the soil and vegetation chosen, its water system, but also how the park was financed, stake holders involved, phasing, etc. 4

5 13:30 Biking along El Salón de Pinos. Rental bike shop at Aniceto Marinas street 26. Metro Príncipe Pío (L6, L10, Ramal Ópera) From the rental bike shop we will continue exploring the park biking along the main landscape feature of the linear park, El Salón de Pinos (1*) (Pines Promenade). A linear corridor that connects every different landscape atmosphere of the park: Huerta de la Partida (*3) (former royal orchards gate of Casa de Campo park), Avenida de Portugal (*5) (2 km pedestrian avenue over the highway to Portugal), Jardines Virgen del Puerto (*4) (former laundry area at the banks of the river), Jardines del puente de Segovia (*6), Puente Oblicuo (*7), Puente de Andorra (*8), Jardines del puente de Toledo (*9). 14:30 LUNCH We will stop for a lunch break at one lounge area located at the biggest garden of Madrid Río, Parque de La Arganzuela (*11). The group will have some time to go to the toilet and share some reflections about the park seen till now. 15: After lunch, we will continue exploring the rest of Madrid Río starting by Parque de La Arganzuela, Puente de la Arganzuela (*10), Pasarelas artísticas or Puentes Cáscara (*13), designed by West 8. Two of the the new slow traffic bridges that connect both sides of the river just in front of Matadero cultural center. Short visit to Matadero Paseo de la Chopera 14, Metro Legazpi (L3, L6). We will make a short visit to Matadero (*12). It is a former slaughterhouse in the Arganzuela district, which has been converted to one of the most important contemporary art centre in town. From Matadero we will bike back at the other side of the river until Mahou Plot 17: MAHOU-CALDERON SITE VISIT. Metro Pirámides (L5). END OF MADRID-RÍO TOUR. LECTURE STRATEGIES FOR URBAN REINVENTION MAHOU / VICENTE CALDERÓN COAM, Hortaleza street. Metro Alonso Martínez Lecturers: Carlos Rubio architect + José Luis Infanzon engineer 5

6 MADRID RÍO PARK DESCRIPTION MADRID RÍO EVOLUTION Unlike Seville or Bilbao, whose early fortunes were inextricably linked to their waterways, Madrid began as a hilltop fortress that conveniently had a little river, the Manzanares, winding lazily through the plain below (to the West of the Royal Palace which stands on the site of the fortress). But for decades, not even the royal family could claim a water view, as the river was choked by two ribbons of the M-30 highway, which rings the city. In the 16th century there were some bridges in the area. Through the Puente del Rey (the King s bridge) the king could go to his royal forests and hunting grounds: the current forest park Casa del Campo. In the 20th century, the city expanded to the river s right bank and the water was artificially restrained in a 40-metres-wide channel along 15 km. The resulting available space on each side became into the M-30 ring road in the late 60s. The border river formed between town and country was a highway barrier between the old town and suburbs. All around the world, highways are being torn down and waterfronts reclaimed; decades of thinking about cars and cities reversed; new public spaces created. West 8 urban design & landscape architecture office, working together with MRIO arquitectos, a joint venture of three Madrid based firms and led by Ginés Garrido, won the international competition in 2005 and designed the master plan for the reclaimed riverbanks and the new urban area. The Madrid Puente del Rey (2*) Jardines Vírgen del Puerto (4*) Huerta de la Partida (3*) Jardines del P. Segovia (6*) Puente oblicuo (7*) Avenida de Portugal (5*) Puente Andorra (8*) Salón d 6

7 Rio park was completed in 2011 and has resulted in an area of parkland 10 kilometres long. 43 kilometres of tunnels have been dug and the former exit routes and motorways of the six-kilometre section along the river Manzanares have disappeared too trees (8,000 pine trees) were planted. A new, elegantly simple boathouse has been designed, and a 19th-century complex of brick and glass buildings, including a derelict slaughterhouse and greenhouse, are now being renovated to house art studios and a dance theatre. The river bank has thus become an integral part of the city centre, and now offers Madrilenians and visitors an area surrounded by vegetation and filled with wide a range of sports, leisure and cultural facilities. The redeveloped area covers 649 hectares along six districts. The restoration process has affected the course of the river itself, both banks and nearby streets. Now that the area has been freed from traffic coming from the M-30, Madrid residents and visitors to the city can once again start enjoying the Manzanares river. Moreover, the project has meant removing an obstacle which has separated the districts from the centre and south-east of the city for so long. It belongs to a larger transformation that also includes the construction of dozens of new metro and light-rail stations that link far-flung, disconnected and often poor districts on Madrid s outskirts to downtown. The 120 hectares of park had be constructed in stages. Every month another section could be rolled out. The mayor wanted to stand with grateful citizens in front of news cameras in the first section of the park before re-election day in He did and he won the re-elections. Matadero (12*) Puentes cáscara (13*) Parque de La Arganzuela (11*) Puente de La Arganzuela (10*) Jardines del P. Toledo (9*) e Pinos (1*) Madrid Río park plan by West 8 + MRio 7

8 MADRID RÍO TODAY The park includes 17 new playgrounds (including fitness areas for grown-ups that look like stone-age gymnastics equipment made out of logs and ropes) as well as running and bike paths, a skate park and an climbing wall. What s more, the new park is revitalizing city attractions that have languished off the tourist radar but now suddenly seem at the centre of the action. The fledgling multi-discipline art center known as Matadero Madrid in the old slaughterhouses anchors the park to the south and has been swarming with people since Madrid Rio s opening. Now that the highway and its tangle of access ramps no longer run between them, several once-isolated parks like the Casa de Campo, Campo de Moro and Parque del Oeste now practically meet at the river s edge. Reuniting the city centre with its South-western neighbourhoods (area where real estate prices have sky-rocketed accordingly), the park s 33 bridges range from Renaissance-era to right now. The time warp is nowhere more visible than at the early-18th-century Puente de Toledo. Its harmonious rhythm of arches and curved bulwarks is echoed just a bit farther downstream in the corkscrew-shaped cylinder of steel designed by Dominique Perrault. Nearby, the new Parque de la Arganzuela is already a neighbourhood favourite. It features a quirky playground with giant sliding boards some wide enough for parents and kids to slide side-by-side and other novel amusements, like a tirolina (similar to a zipline, it transports riders, one at a time, Salón de Pinos. Axonometric section Tunnels under Madrid Río park Typical section of the park and tunnels 8

9 about 30 metres across the park). As the summer starts to heat up, visitors can cool down on the new urban beaches, large elliptical fountains designed for frolicking in jets of water and clouds of refreshing mist. At night, the Puente de Arganzuela lights up like a piece of an alien rocket fallen to earth. The vegetation consists mainly of plants with low water requirements, such as pine and plane trees, and aromatic shrubs such as lavender and rosemary. There is an automated watering system that is affected by weather stations and rain sensors. There is no drinking water treatment plants used but underground storage tanks in the area. DESIGN TEAMS INFORMATION Spanish team: 3 Madrid-based firms formed a joint venture for the project, MRIO arquitectos: Burgos & Garrido Arquitectos, Porras La Casta Arquitectos and Rubio & Álvarez-Sala International team: West 8 urban design & landscape office (based in Rotterdam): Adriaan Geuze, Edzo Bindels, Christian Dobrick, Enrique Ibáñez González, Alexander Sverdlov, Claudia Wolsfeld, Freek Boerwinkel, Joost Koningen, Juan Figueroa Calero, Karsten Buchholz, Lennart van Dijk, Luna Solas, Mariana Siqueira, Marta Roy, Martin Biewenga, Michael Gersbach, Perry Maas, Riccardo Minghini, Sander Lap, Shachar Zur. AFTER AFTER BEFORE BEFORE Transformation of Puente de Toledo Transformation of Puente Oblícuo 9

10 MADRID RÍO ATMOSPHERES Madrid Río is designed as a linear green space, which will link the existing and newly designed urban spaces with each other along the river Manzanares. Salón de Pinos (*1) is the most important landscape feature. It is a long axis located almost entirely on top of the motorway tunnel that connects the rest of the different green areas of the park. The reference to the flora of the mountains was chosen for the outskirts of Madrid. The pine tree which is able to survive on the barren rock is planted in more than fold. A choreography of the tree planting with a repertoire of cuts, selection of grown characteristic trees, combined and inclined planting leads to a natural and sculptural character of the space to create a botanical monument. A variety of tests, carefully selected plants and materials, the design of a tree-support with refers to the bull s horns and the technical solutions of the structure of the substrates in the tunnel document the complex nature of this park in the city. Puente del Rey (King s bridge) and dams renovation (*2) have been carried out along the river. The King s Bridge was built in 1816, during the reign of Fernando VII, to access Casa de Campo, according to Isidoro González s design in It composes a monumental set, together with Puerta del Rey, Explanada del Rey and the axis of Campo del Moro towards the Royal Palace. With the river channelling, two of its arches were lost and it was widened from 4.7 meters to 25 meters according to J. M. Cano s engineering design to lead traffic from Principe Pío to Avenida de Portugal. The rest of the old dams have been transformed into walkways. Salón de Pinos. Shaded rest area Salón de Pinos. Slow lane Salón de Pinos. Aerial view 10

11 Huerta de la Partida (*3) was the old Royal Palace agricultural orchard. The City Palace was built as a Baroque ensemble with a strict choreography that connected the Royal Palace with the hunting grounds and the fruit and vegetable garden at the other side of the river. Through the infrastructure changes in the fifties, the orchard was turned into a transportation hub. Contrary to the initial tendency to create a historical reconstruction, the Huerta is now a modern interpretation of the orchard. The motive of the hortus conclusus has been formed with a wide variety of fruit trees in groups, formed from skipping ranks. Fig trees, almond trees, quince, olives, apples, walnuts, pomegranate and even mulberry trees are growing now, and symbolize paradise in the past. The creek, which was undertunneled in the recent decades, is meandering again through the room as a 480-metre-long shaped stream. Its source and the mouth are specially shaped. From the cave, which sets the end point of the watercourse, the scene gives the image of the ensemble intact again the combination of the elements of the Baroque city castle. As a consequence of the design there is a new entrance to the Casa de Campo that logically connects to the public space. Jardines de Virgen del Puerto (*4) are situated on the left bank between de Campo del Moro gardens, in front of the Royal Palace and the Manzanares river. Involving a chapel, originally built by architect Pedro de Ribera in 1718 and rebuilt after being damaged during the Spanish Civil War. The channels of stone slabs and water recall the place for washer women in the past. Composition of creek and orchards Jardines de Virgen del Puerto, the washing area of the city in former times Huerta de la partida. Olive trees orchard 11

12 Avenida de Portugal (*5) is one of the most important roads into the centre of Madrid and is characterized by its impressive environs. The motorway lies at the boundary between one of the most densely-built residential quarters and the Casa de Campo formerly the Spanish king s hunting grounds and from far away offers an impressive view to the historic city centre on the banks of the Manzanares. By relocating the road in a (double) tunnel and providing underground parking for vehicles, it was possible to convert the space into a garden, benefiting the local residents in particular. The design takes a journey to Portugal as its theme the extension of the Avenida de Portugal leads towards Lisbon, in the process crossing a valley famous for its cherry blossoms in the otherwise extremely barren and inhospitable climate of the Extremadura. The abstraction of the cherry blossom as a design element of the park, the planting of different kinds of cherry trees to extend the period in which they flower, the reinterpretation of the Portuguese paving and the connection of the space to its surroundings has led to the creation of this new popular public space. Jardines del Puente de Segovia (*6) boast spacious grassy areas dotted with poplar trees and monumental water features to recover the splendour of the city s oldest bridge, that was designed by Juan de Herrera in the 16th century. Puente Oblícuo (*7) used to be a highway bridge, and so its shape is due to a functional criteria. It was originally designed in by engineers Carlos Fernández Casado, Leonardo Fernández Troyano and Javier Manterola Armisén, and was transformed into a green-boulevard corridor in 2008 as part of Madrid Río intervention. Puente de Andorra Avenida de Portugal. Aerial view Jardines del Puente de Segovia 12

13 Puente de Andorra (*8) or Y-bridge whose designed by Burgos & Garrido office in 2009 was inspired by iron bridges from the second half of the nineteenth century. Jardines del Puente de Toledo (*9) are formed by mazes of plant patterns in baroque style creating a romantic atmosphere that breaks the Salón de Pinos monotony. It also emphasises the stone architecture of Pedro de Ribera s historical bridge design. Puente de la Arganzuela (*10), 250 metres long, was designed by Dominique Perrault, to cross over the new Arganzuela Park and link Paseo de Yeserías with Avenida del Manzanares. Parque de la Arganzuela (*11), covering 23 hectares, three times the size of the former park built in the 1960s in this area, is the main landscaped area in Madrid Río. Pedestrian and cycling routes cover the whole park and there are 5 recreational areas for different ages, including a jungle of tree trunks and a series of slides that take advantage of the slopes of the park. However, the main attraction of the Arganzuela Park is water, thanks to its new urban beach. This concept was proposed by children taking part in the Madrid Río Children and Young People contest held in 2005 and comprises three oval-shaped waterside enclosures with different uses. One has a shallow pool of water where people can lie and cool off, another features jets of water rising to different heights with differing effects, and the third has a pool with clouds of spray. They are surrounded by some lawns for people to sunbathe by the Manzanares, where sunshades, sun loungers and chairs are available for the comfort of visitors. Parque de la Arganzuela. Skate park Urban beach and puente de la Arganzuela Parque de la Arganzuela with Madrid Río Playa (Urban beach) and Puente de la Arganzuela 13

14 Arganzuela park is based on different emotions, and landscapes in context of the water that makes this element feelable and explorable. The system of streams is running through the park and will form, in the crossings and though the topography, different spaces and motifs. The different streams have their own characters. The Río Seco, for example, is an interpretation of the dry rivers of the Spanish landscape in which you feel the presence of the water in any season. But throughout the year only the freshness of the vegetation along the riverbed and pebbles on the riverbed are visible. Botanical variety will create different atmospheres in artificial leas and will allow a clear structuring of the spaces with high variety of different moods. Matadero Madrid (*12). Arganzuela area also offers a wide range of cultural attractions. the city s former slaughterhouse Matadero. It hosts an array of activities, including exhibitions, music festivals and plays. It is a lively, constantly changing space at the service of creative processes, participatory artistic training and dialogue between the arts. The original project by Luis Bellido in 1911 was structured around a complex of pavilions characterised by functionality, constructive rationality and conceptual simplicity. There is however a historicist element to the architecture, which incorporates Neo-Mudéjar features, such as tiles with abstract designs. The buildings were in use as a slaughterhouse until At the turn of the 21st century, Madrid City Council decided to turn this space into a great laboratory for contemporary artistic creation. In keeping with its experimental vocation, all the restoration work has been developed through a newly added, flexible and reversible architecture that uses industrial materials that go with the premises character. Thus, Matadero has become an opportunity to experiment with Madrid s new architecture. Matadero Madrid. Zoning plan Artistic mosaic on the ceiling of Puente Cáscara Matadero Madrid 14

15 Puentes Cáscara or Pasarelas artísticas (*13), serving as bridges and iconic landmark, create a place where the river is really experienced. They are designed by West8 as a massive concrete dome with an rough texture outside. The bridges have the scale of park elements and not of the infrastructure. More than one hundred cables resembling whale baleens wearing the slim steel deck. The fine detailing becomes visible when entering the bridge. The ceilings have a mosaic of the Spanish artist Daniel Canogar. The lighting is included on the edge of the ceiling providing illumination for the artwork and the deck by reflection. MADRID AS PART OF A LARGER GREEN CORRIDOR ALONG MANZANARES RIVER Thanks to Madrid Río project many other green areas have joined to form a long environmental corridor as far as Getafe and El Pardo. Parque Lineal del Manzanares is linked to the south area of Madrid Río. The first stage of the project the Linear Park on the River Manzanares by Spanish Catalan architect Ricardo Bofill, was completed in The geographical location of the park, south of Madrid, is crucial to the city, which is spreading progressively towards the Meseta and needs open ground to break the urban tissue and to provide citizens contact with nature. The ambition of the project was to transform an area containing the capital s sanitation and electricity supply infrastructures into a major park that will also meet the recreational and sporting needs of the surrounding districts. The previous studies on the treatment of the river that begun as part of Madrid s sanitation plan were followed by Bofill s design project. The park is a natural, building free setting for outdoor sports such as jogging and biking, water related activities at a large rowing canal, and open air cultural activities and events. The project foresees covering the sewer exits at the northern end of the park and isolating the water purifiers and electricity plant to hide the installations from view and mask possible emanating smells. Parque Lineal del Manzanares in the south of Madrid Río 15

16 I. MADRID-RÍO SURROUNDINGS: THE ROYAL PALACE AREA The Palacio Real de Madrid (Royal Palace) is one of the most emblematic places in the city. It is surrounded by several emblematic buildings, squares and garden areas. The Plaza de Oriente (*1) is framed by the Teatro Real and the Palacio Real. It shelters a 1.60-hectare garden that was planned by Joseph Napoleon Bonaparte to highlight the surrounding buildings. It has undergone significant restoration work, the most important one by Miguel de Oriol in It has three different areas. The Parterre Central is located around a group of equestrian sculptures of Philip IV, including one by Pietro Tacca that was placed there in These gardens present a nineteenth-century design, with complex geometric hedgerows and a symmetrical axis. Cypresses are located between the trimmed box hedges and the yew tress in the corners. One magnolia in the middle of each figure and two artistic fountains next to the Palace. North and south of the Parterre are the Cabo Noval and Lepanto gardens, which offer open green spaces among plane trees as a recreation and rest area for visitors. The Jardines de Sabatini (*2) were created in 1933 on the site of the stables built by Francisco Sabatini ( ) for the Royal Palace, hence their name. It is located in front of the north façade of the Royal Palace, as a 2.54-hectare terrace overlooking the Campo del Moro gardens and Madrid Río. Carlos III, whose sculpture presides the entrance, ordered the construction which began during the Second Republic and were completed after the Civil War. Their architectural and ornamental Neoclassical styling as an extension of the Royal Palace were enhanced on account of the exhibition of several sculptures that were originally planned to decorate the cornice of the palace. The vegetation that we can enjoy here are magnolias, cypress, maples, cedars, boxwood, roses, etc. There are three terraces, and two accesses: next to the Palace by a two-sections staircase to reach the lower terrace that is 20 metres below, and the north-side entrances to reach two different terraces. The lower terrace presents symmetrical flowerbed parterres on both sides of a big rectangular pond that works as a mirror and is surrounded by some of the sculptures of the Spanish kings that created for the Palace. The second terrace is an impressive balcony overlooking the first one, where you can contemplate the whole north façade of the Palace, and connects to the entrance in Cuesta de San Madrid Río Opera Palace Cathedral Gardens and squares around the Royal Palace Plaza de Oriente and East façade of Palacio Real 16

17 Vicente street through a forested path. The third and higher one offers several parterres and big cedar trees. Their geometric design and fortunate location make them some of the most beautiful gardens in Madrid de los Austrias. The Campo del Moro (*3) is a 20-ha garden located to the west of the Royal Palace, facing Madrid Rio. Its name, the Moorish s land, is due to the occupancy of the Almoravid leader Alí ben Yusuf while trying to re-conquer the old Royal Alcazar in Philip IV was the first king who tried to improve this place by building fountains and adding some tress, but it was Isabel II who established the main axe and turned the former hunting and game reserve into an excursions and relaxation area. It was accomplished by the royal architect Narciso Pascual y Colomer in 1844, who installed some neoclassical fountains such as the Fountain of the Tritons and that of the Palace of the Shells along this main avenue, the Praderas de las Vistas del Sol. After the deterioration during the revolution of 1868, Queen Maria Cristina s renovations in 1890 converted this site into a 19th century English-style garden, influenced by the Romantic concept of nature under Ramón Oliva s design, giving it its current appearance and changing Pascual y Colomer s vegetation grid into irregular and curved paths which dominate the site. The lands of Campo del Moro had not been developed as a garden in the past as it was not possible to connect them to the Royal Palace, situated at a much higher altitude. Some renovation works also took place after the Spanish Civil War. The rectangular hillside slopes down to the river Manzanares (Where Madrid-Río project is located) and has three accesses: in Cuesta de San Vicente, Cuesta de la Vega, and Paseo Virgen del Puerto. It offers 185 tree families, such as Galician oaks (Quercus robar), stone pines (Pinus alepensis), yew trees (Taxus baccata) or sequoias (Sequoia sempervirens). There are also animal species such as peacocks, pheasants or woodpeckers. The Museo de Carruajes (Carriage Museum) was built in 1960 by Ramón Andrada and housed some carriages that the monarchy used until the XVII century. It was declared of historical and artistic interest in 1931 and shows one of the best views in Madrid with the Royal Palace looming beyond an expansive green tapestry, surrounded by monumental fountains within its ample and shady romantic garden. Right next to the Campo del Moro, the Parque de Atenas is a 5.30-hectare park that was previously part of it. Jardines de Sabatini and North façade of Palacio Real Campo del Moro and West façade of Palacio Real 17

18 II. MADRID-RÍO SURROUNDINGS: CASA DE CAMPO PARK Casa de Campo is the largest urban park in Spain and Madrid s main green lung, with 172 hectares. Casa de Campo s history began in 1553, when Felipe II moved the Court to Madrid and ordered the purchase of the Vargas family s country house. It grew in size over time with the addition of adjoining grounds and properties. With Fernando VI on the throne, the site was declared a Royal Forest due to its proximity to the Royal Palace and the purpose for which it was used. In the mid-18th century, by order of Carlos III, the park underwent reforms geared to the introduction of arable and livestock farming, activities that Queen María Cristina continued during her reign. With the advent of the Second Republic, the Casa de Campo ceased to be part of the heritage of the Crown and was opened to the public for the use and enjoyment of all, although this changed during the three years of civil war when it was the scene of battles and bombings. The park was reopened in 1946 and from then onwards major reforestation work was carried out and sports and cultural facilities were built, forming what is now the largest green space in the city. It shows an essentially forested landscape with gently undulating topography and scattered small hills. It is crossed by valleys where some permanent and seasonal streams flow into the river Manzanares. Most of them start in the park, while the two most important, Meaques and Antequina, rise out of it. Among water bodies, El Lago (the Lake) and several artificial ponds that feed the wildlife fauna. Boats are rented at the lake s pier. Throughout Casa de Campo s history buildings were constructed for different purposes. Some of these have survived until today but others have disappeared, due to the passing of time and the 1936 war. However, some original buildings have been preserved, such as the Palacio de los Vargas and the Puente de la Culebra (Snake Bridge), which Sabatini built in 1782 on the Meaques creek, a tributary which forms part of the Manzanares river basin. The historical features that still survive in the park include: La Tapia - built by Sabatini to transport water; the Railway Bridge, which dates from the mid-19th century; the Reservado - gardens situated besides Palacio de los Vargas; the cultivated area of La Partida - used today for experimenting with medicinal plants; the historical fountains and remnants of the civil war - mainly trenches and bunkers. All of these testify to the important role played by the site in the history of the city. Casa de Campo lake area, Madrid Río and Royal gardens Cable car Casa de Campo - city center 18

19 Casa de Campo s vegetation is one of its most important features. There are, in fact, three different ecosystems: oak, pine and river groves. The oak is the dominant tree species in the area and, although many of them are over 100 years old and reach a great height, they are also present in the form of chaparral and bushes. The pine-forest ecosystem boasts a large number of trees that have adapted perfectly to the light, dry conditions in the park. In addition, mushrooms often emerge after the first rains of autumn. Finally, the river groves, or riparian forests, are made up of various, mainly deciduous, species that grow in wetter areas. Examples include poplars, willows and alder trees. As regards fauna, this green space is home to approximately 133 vertebrate species. Birds are the most numerous, especially sparrows, although blue-throats, finches and owls also inhabit the park. The park s mammals include rabbits, squirrels and even hedgehogs which, although nocturnal, can be spotted near the riverside brambles. With regards to oviparous animals, Casa de Campo s residents include the natterjack toad, the gecko, the Montpellier snake, the Mediterranean turtle and the Iberian lizard. The park offers various leisure options, as it provides sports, restaurant and cultural facilities. It is an ideal place for jogging, tennis, swimming, cycling, canoeing or triathlon, as specially-designated areas are provided for sports enthusiasts. The Teleférico (cable car) connects the Paseo del Pintor Rosales street in the city center with Casa de Campo, and offers a unique view to Madrid. On the way, it reaches a maximum haight of 40 metres and a speed of 3.5 m/s. It goes through the Rosaleda (Rose Garden), Príncipe Pío railway station, the famous twin chapels of San Antonio de la Florida and the Manzanares river. The Parque de Atracciones fun fair park, and the Zoo are also located in the grounds, as are the Recinto Ferial Casa de Campo fairground, the youth hostel and the Venta de Batán -the traditional place for enclosing the bulls in the days prior to the bullfights in Las Ventas bullring. All of this makes Casa de Campo an ideal leisure location, with a wide range of activities all in one area. You can even try typical dishes from different regions in Spain in the Gastronomic Walk, pavilions used for the former Feria de Campo farm trade fair which have been converted into restaurants. Huerta de la Partida (Madrid-RIo Project) and Casa de Campo Parque de atracciones (Fun fair park) at Casa de Campo 19

20 OTHER TOUR SUGGESTIONS IN THE CITY 1. OLD TOWN TOUR: From the classical Austrias to the cosmopolitan Lavapiés - Starting point at your hotel (Callao metro station) or linked to the end of Tour 3: Monumental Madrid Tour - Walking tour through a sequence of squares in Centro district old town to be continued on Tour 2: Cultural Madrid Tour The Habsburg dynasty, with Charles I, enriched the city with palaces and monuments. Later, when Philip II made it the capital of Spain, the city grew significantly. The journey through the Renaissance and Baroque buildings from this period is perhaps one of the most picturesque, including Plaza Ópera, the royal palace, the old town hall in Plaza de la Villa and the majestic Plaza Mayor. Also part of the old town is Lavapiés neighbourhood, the Jewish quarter of Madrid until the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in Lavapiés has long been a neglected area of the city. In the late 1980s and 90s, Lavapiés had acquired a reputation as a vertical slum, with its tenement blocks either empty or occupied by old people paying low rents. More recently, it became the focal point for immigrant populations. At the end of the 90s, a programme of urban renewal was begun, in the hope of bringing more prosperous residents. As a result of this, Lavapiés has become a lively and multicultural district with interesting pieces of architecture. ITINERARY: Plaza Callao - Preciados street - Puerta del Sol - Plaza Opera - Plaza Ramales - Plaza de Santiago - Plaza de la Villa - Mercado de San Miguel (Recomended for tapas!) - Plaza Mayor - Plaza Santa Cruz - Plaza Jacinto Benavente - Plaza Santa Ana - Plaza Tirso de Molina - Plaza Mesón de Paredes -Plaza Agustin Lara & Bilbioteca Escuelas Pías (By Linazasoro) - Plaza Lavapies - Centro dramático nacional (by Paredes & Pedrosa) Plaza Callao Plaza Opera Preciados street Plaza Ramales Plaza Puerta del Sol Plaza Santiago Plaza de la Villa Plaza Mayor Mercado Plaza Santa Cruz San Miguel Plaza Santa Ana Plaza J. Benavente Plaza Tirso de Molina Plaza Mesón de Paredes Plaza Agustín Lara Biblioteca Escuelas Pías Plaza Lavapiés Atocha (Tour 2) Plaza Mayor Centro dramático nacional at Plaza de Lavapiés 20

21 2. CULTURAL MADRID TOUR: From Atocha station to El Retiro park - Starting point at Atocha-renfe metro station or linked to the end of Tour 3: Old Town tour - Walking tour from Atocha station to Puerta de Alcalá where can be continued with Tour 2: Monumental Madrid Tour The Golden Triangle of Art is probably one of the places with the highest concentration of fine art in the world. Along a stretch of just over one kilometre you can find the Prado, the Thyssen-Bornemisza and the Reina Sofia museums. Highlights are the Velázquez and Goya rooms in the Prado, the expressionist painting collection in the Thyssen-Bornemisza, or Picasso s Guernica, which hangs in the Reina Sofia. Other cultural centres and museums coexist on this art axis: the National Archaeological Museum, the Royal Botanical Gardens, the Caixa Forum museum, etc. Your tour starts at 19th-century Atocha Railway Station connected to the high-speed railway complex designed by Moneo. It is worth it to visit the tropical garden placed inside the old station building and the monument for the 11M victims from the Islamic terrorist attack. This tour will finish at El Retiro park, which is part of the city s historical heritage and botanical patrimony inherited from past centuries. Once a recreation area for the Royal Family, it has become a very popular park and is central to the city s image. ITINERARY: Atocha st: 11M monument, old & new station (Moneo project)- Reina Sofia museum (Ampliation by Jean Nouvel) - Caixa Forum (by Herzog & De Meuron) - Recoletos axe avenue (future project by Alvaro Siza) - Royal Botanical Garden - Museo del Prado (Ampliation by Moneo) - Neptuno fountain - Congreso de los diputados (Parliament) - Bolsa (stock market) - Parque del Retiro: Palacio de Cristal, Grotto, Rowing pond and Puerta de Alcalá To Puerta de Alcalá (Tour3) Thyssen museum Parliament Bolsa Rowing pond Neptuno Retiro park Cristal palace Prado museum Grotto Caixa F. museum Botanical garden Reina Sofía museum Lavapiés (end of Tour 1) Atocha station 11M monument Ampliation of Reina Sofía museum designed by Jean Nouvel Caixa Forum museum designed by Herzog & De Meuron 21

22 3. MONUMENTAL MADRID TOUR: From Puerta de Alcalá to Templo de Debod - Starting point at Retiro metro station or linked to the end of Tour 1: Old town tour - Walking tour from Puerta de Alcalá to Cable car Casa de Campo where can be continued with Tour: Casa de Campo The birth of Gran Vía came with the turn of the 20th Century. By 1910 a network of alleys and shaded pathways had given way to this monumental avenue, which splits in two and opens the way to the heart of old Madrid. Situated between the districts of Salamanca and Chamberí, Gran Vía is home to cinemas, theatres and big shops. In Madrid in the 1920s, people gained social recognition by making themselves at home in Gran Vía, with its towers and marquees. Owners showed off the worth of showrooms, banks and insurance companies with ornaments to decorate the façades, in sumptuous cornices and avant-garde design. This is why Gran Vía is today a hugely valuable architectural project. It is an exquisite inventory of the styles that dominated the early 20th century: Historicism, Modernism, Art-Déco and Rationalism. The last part of the Gran Vía, constructed between 1925 and 1929 leads to the Plaza de España, a large square dominated by two skyscrapers built in the 1950s, the symmetric Edificio España and the Torre de Madrid. Parque del Oeste is closed by where you can get a nice panoramic view to the Madrid Río and Casa de Campo or you can visit the Debod temple, a real egyptian temple donated to Spain by the Egyptian government. It is close to Madrid Cable Car, an original way to see this part of Madrid and Casa de Campo from above! ITINERARY: Puerta de Alcalá (Retiro park entrance) - Serrano street - Plaza Colón - Biblioteca Nacional - Avenida Castellana - Plaza Cibeles: Casa de Correos / City hall of Madrid and Banco de España (Ampliation by Moneo) - Círculo de Bellas Artes roof terrace - Gran via - Plaza Callao - Plaza de España: Don Quijote sculpture - Templo de Debod - Parque del Oeste (Panoramic view to Madrid Rio and Casa de Campo) - Cable car to Casa de Campo Cable car to Casa de Campo (Tour Casa de Campo) Templo Debod Plaza España Parque Oeste (Panoramic view) Don Quijote Biblioteca Nacional Avenida Castellana Plaza Colón Serrano street Plaza Callao Gran Vía Círculo Bellas Artes (Roof terrace!) Plaza Cibeles Puerta de Alcalá Retiro park (end of Tour 2) Casa de Correos (Current City Hall) at Plaza de Cibeles Plaza de España and Don Quijote de La Mancha Sculpture 22

23 4. BUSINESS DISTRICT TOUR: From Azca to Cuatro torres (4 towers) - Starting point at Nuevos Ministerios metro station - Walking tour from Nuevos Ministerios to Real Madrid Stadium plus a short visit by public bus (Line 147) to Cuatro torres On this tour you can take a walk along the Paseo de la Castellana, where the main business centre and key ministries of Spain are located. Castellana is the main north-south artery of Madrid and one of the longest and widest avenue. Many business, banking and financial buildings are located along La Castellana (including those that from AZCA, Puerta de Europa and the Four Towers). In the giant AZCA financial district, the heart of Madrid s business, some of Madrid s most unique buildings stand out, such as Torre Europa, Torre Picasso (by Cesar Pelli) and BBVA building (By Sáenz de Oiza). Other landmarks that can be found along this street are the Nuevos Ministerios complex, where the offices of several ministries of the Spanish Government are located, and the Santiago Bernabéu Real Madrid Stadium. ITINERARY: Nuevos ministerios (Arquerías architecture Gallery) - Azca complex: BBVA tower (by Saenz de Oiza) - Picasso tower (by Yamasaki) - Europa tower (by Oriol) - Avenida de La Castellana - Bernabeu Real Madrid Stadium (by Lamela) ---Ride by 147 line bus to Cuatro torres --- Cuatro Torres: Torre Bankia (By Foster), Torre PWc (By Carlos Rubio), Torre de Cristal (By Cesar Pelli) and Torre Espacio (By H. Cobb) Shuttle from Bernabeu Real Madrid stadium to Cuatro torres area by public bus (Line 147) along Castellana avenue Cuatro Torres Public bus (Line 147) Avenida de la Castellana Bernabeu Real Madrid stadium AZCA Europa tower Picasso tower BBVA tower Nuevos Ministerios Picasso tower at Azca business center Bernabeu Real Madrid Stadium Cuatro Torres 23

24 OTHER IMPORTANT PARKS IN THE CITY Madrid is the European city with the highest number of trees and has the second highest number of aligned trees in the world, with 248,000 units, only exceeded by Tokyo. Green areas in the City of Madrid are continuously growing, also surpassing the European average. Since 1997, green areas have increased by 16%. At present, 8.2% of Madrid s grounds are green areas, meaning that there are 16m2 of green area per inhabitant, far exceeding the 10m2 per inhabitant recommended by the World Health Organization. El Parque Juan Carlos l is the biggest urban park of Madrid (160 ha), even larger than Retiro (118 ha). It is situated in the North-east of the city, next to Barajas and the Feria de Madrid IFE- MA, which is venue for many trade shows taking place in the capital city and features 200,000 covered m 2 for display. The park was opened on the occasion of Madrid European Capital of Culture 1992, and was able to recover a highly degraded area while enforcing an existing centenary olive grove. It hosts a lake (30000 m 2 ), a 1900 metre-long river, 19 open sculptures, an auditorium, and many other facilities. Glorieta Don Juan de Borbón y Battemberg, Metro Campo de las Naciones (L8) Oct-May: 7-23 h (Sunday-Thursday), 7-24 h (Friday-Saturday) El Parque Lineal Manzanares is the natural extension of Madrid-Río to the south. This park, created by the architect Ricardo Bofill to inspire a return to nature and to recreate a traditional Mediterranean garden, is one of the most interesting architectural projects of the late 1990s. Orchards, olive groves and the Manzanares riverbed surround the Caja Mágica (the High Performance Tennis Centre), designed by Dominique Perrault. Calle Mezquita, Metro Hospital 12 de Octubre (L3), San Fermín-Orcasur (L3) Autumn-winter: 7-22 h. El Parque Enrique Tierno Galván is a large parks that has three ponds with small crossing bridges. There are several tours that highlight the different vegetable species and show the diversity in flora and fauna. It also hosts the Planetarium and the IMAX cinema. Avenida Planetario, Metro Arganzuela-Planetario (L6) Parque Juan Carlos I Parque Lineal Manzanares 24

25 El Parque El Capricho is a 14-hectare garden, located in the area of Barajas district, dates back to 1784 when the Duke of Osuna, from one of the most illustrious and powerful of the city s families, acquired the land for the specific purpose of giving expression to the family s visionary and artistic values. It was bought by the city in 1974, and renovation works carried out several years later. This work has finally taken up again in 1999, and went on to win a Europa Nostra award in Paseo de la Alameda de Osuna, Metro El Capricho (L5) Oct-Mar: h (Saturday-Sunday) Los Jardines Secretos (Secret Gardens) are peaceful and serene gardens, hidden within the four walls of a cloister. They are the city s best kept secret. Rarely visited by locals, their clandestine doors can be found on the streets of the areas of La Latina, Huertas and Lavapiés in old convents, stately palaces and hospitals that have witnessed the passing of the centuries: Príncipe de Anglona Garden, a particular 18th-century garden on a corner of Plaza de la Paja. Principe de Anglona Street 1, Metro La Latina (L5) *see TOUR D Winter: 10-18:30.Huerto de las monjas, at number 7 of Calle Sacramento. Sacramento St 7, Metro Ópera (L2) *see TOUR D.El Almendro, so called because of the trees which once grew there. Almendro St 15 y 17, Metro La Latina (L5) *see TOUR D.The Cemetery of S. Sebastián, the old graveyard of the church where Lope de Vega is buried. Huertas St 2, Metro Antón Martín (L1) *see TOUR D.Calle de las Huertas, three hundred years ago this was full of irrigation channels and wells. Huertas St, Metro Antón Martín (L1) *see TOUR D.Cloister of the Reina Sofía National Museum and Art Centre, built by Sabatini in Santa Isabel St 52, Metro Atocha (L1) *see TOUR B Parque Enrique Tierno Galván Parque El Capricho 25

26 Comunidad de Madrid plan 26

27 Metro de Madrid Map with cartographic basis 27

28 Old town zoom. Madrid 28

29 29

30 Madrid-Río. Madrid 30

31 31

32 OTHER INFORMATION MADRILIAN ATMOSPHERES GRAN VÍA Madrid is a hectic city that never sleeps. Exemplary of this is the Gran Vía, which recently celebrated its hundredth anniversary and is one of Madrid s busiest streets and a favourite for locals and visitors alike. It is next to a major connecting and dominant separation between the more expensive shopping centre on the south side and compact neighbourhoods to the north. Chueca, Malasaña and Conde Duque forms the entertainment centre for the locals. LA LATINA Puerta del Sol and its kilometre zero in the country s road system is a great place to start your journey, and one of the city s liveliest districts with its traditional stores, shopping centres and theatres where many successful musicals have been staged. A competition for renewal was recently launched and the madrilian architect J.I. Linazasoro has won it with a minimalist proposal. On the south side of the Gran Vía, La Latina is very worthwhile. It is a typical traditional Spanish feel, with idyllic squares, churches and sloping streets. Nearby Plaza Mayor, is a Sunday afternoon favorite. Just when you thought the weekend was over, you ll find madrileños packed into the bars around Plaza de la Paja, Plaza de San Andrés and Cava Baja; drinking beer in the squares; or chilling at sought-after terrace spots. It s also a great area to get tapas, wine, beer or cocktails on any night of the week. The vibe here is laid-back and a touch trendy, but very inclusive. On Sundays, El Rastro is open in La Latina. This is a big flea market where you can buy almost anything. La Latina is going on into Lavapiés. HUERTAS During Spain s Golden Age some of the country s greatest writers lived in this district. Today it is home to bookshops, refurbished antique shops, modern art galleries, and restaurants with a distinct cultural atmosphere. At night, this is the land of Irish pubs, pop music and foreigners. Nevertheless, there are some authentic tapas bars around here and Huertas holds some respected jazz bars. Another exception is Calle de Echegaray, which holds some decent flamenco haunts. MALASAÑA AND TRIBALL This unconventional, adventurous neighbourhood has a young atmosphere which is reflected in the way it changes during the day. Take advantage of the quiet mornings for a stroll round the district, have fun shopping in the afternoon and enjoy the lively atmosphere of the area at night. In Malasaña district and Plaza del Dos de Mayo as its centre, punks and freethinkers grouped themselves in the 80s to rebel. Now, you can enjoy into the Gran Vía at Plaza de Callao Terraces at La Latina 32

33 night. Night-life in Madrid means typically meeting around 22-24:00 for a drink (beber) and snapping (picar) in a bar, then moving to the next bar, and then literally squeeze in a club around 24:00. On the weekend, which unofficially begins on Thursday, one stays here up to 5 or 6 in the morning partying. The Madrileños are known for their inexhaustible urge to go out, from young to old. CHUECA Chueca was in the 80s and early 90s a dilapidated neighbourhood with menace and prostitution. In the mid-90s, artists and the gay movement drew the district came to life. Now, gays and heteros like mingle seamlessly. It s the place to be, with a high density of designer shops, bars and clubs. Calle de Fuencarral, which separates Malasaña and Chueca, one of the most popular shopping streets, has turned it into a great street festival. CONDE DUQUE Conde Duque is a quieter neighbourhood. Traditionally, government buildings were here. The Conde Duque Cultural Centre is the largest cultural facility in the capital where art, knowledge, and shows unite to create a common area for study, investigation, and cultural leisure. SALAMANCA Top national and international fashion firms and designers all have their stores in this elegant district, which is home to beautiful 19th-century buildings. Salamanca has been one of the most representative areas for Bourgeois madrileños and is well known for being one of the wealthiest and expensive areas in Madrid, with a high living cost and one of the highest real estate prices in the city. Serrano street is listed as the third most expensive (shopping) street in Spain. LAVAPIÉS It s inhabited by hippies, hipsters and a large immigrant population, but locals with a sleeker look are sprouting up everywhere. From Indian restaurants and Brazilian bars to clandestine chill-outs. You still also find a relatively pure flamenco culture as in Casa Patas. Lavapiés is the city s multicultural scene. From Lavapiés walk easily through the Huertas district, along the Paseo del Prado, the new CaixaForum. MONCLOA Princesa street is one of the routes into the city from the north-west mountain range and has the charm of a district with its own traditional way of life and a new view of the city which combines some of the capital s most famous shops with some less well known cultural and leisure facilities. Just next to the Ciudad Universitaria is the district which hosts a lot of students at night. Argüelles is especially known for the Bajos de Argüelles (the Basements of Argüelles) where many discos, bars and clubs are located in the basements of local buildings. Shopping area in Fuencarral Street El Rastro, a flea-market in La Latina 33