Madrid stands as a vibrant capital full of energy and contradictions. You might know it for its football teams or world-class museums, but the city holds deeper secrets. Uniquely, it is the only European capital founded by Arabs rather than Romans or local tribes. Its history involves ancient walls, Egyptian gifts, and quirky traditions. Consequently, millions of visitors fall in love with its charm every year. Let’s peel back the layers of this sunny Spanish metropolis.
Madrid
Madrid houses the only public monument in the world dedicated specifically to the Devil. The Statue of the Fallen Angel sits at exactly 666 meters [2,185 feet] above sea level.
The vault of the Bank of Spain lies 48 meters [157 feet] underground. If anyone breaks in, the room automatically floods with water from the famous Cibeles fountain.
Locals have the nickname “gatos” because of a soldier from the 11th century. He climbed a steep wall like a cat to change a flag during a battle.
Surprisingly, the city is home to the oldest restaurant in the world, Sobrino de Botín. It has served customers continuously since 1725, and the artist Goya worked there as a dishwasher.
Trains on the Madrid Metro drive on the left side of the track. This system remains from 1924 because it was too expensive to change the rails later.
An authentic Egyptian temple stands in the center of the city near the Royal Palace. Egypt donated the Temple of Debod to Spain in 1968 to save it from flooding.
The official center of the Spanish road network sits in the Puerta del Sol square. A plaque on the ground marks “Kilometer 0” where all six major highways begin.
Uniquely, the King of Spain does not actually live in the massive Royal Palace. Instead, he resides in the more modest Palace of Zarzuela on the outskirts of the city.
You can find three original sections of the Berlin Wall in the Parque de Berlin. The city acquired these concrete pieces after the wall fell in Germany in 1990.
The city was originally named Mayrit, which translates to “place of many streams.” It is the only European capital that started as an Arab fortress in the 9th century.
A traditional stew called Cocido Madrileño is served in a specific three-course order. You eat the soup first, then the chickpeas and vegetables, and finally the meat.
Every year, waiters race through the streets of the Lavapiés neighborhood during a festival. They must run with a tray holding a bottle and glasses without spilling a single drop.
The clock at Puerta del Sol is manually delayed by a few seconds on New Year’s Eve. This adjustment ensures that everyone across Spain can eat their twelve grapes on time.
Madrid is one of the greenest cities in Europe with over 300,000 trees lining its streets. Consequently, there are approximately 20 trees for every human resident in the capital.
The famous bear and strawberry tree statue is the official symbol of the city. Interestingly, bears actually roamed the nearby forests freely during the Middle Ages.
