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Regions of Spain : Madrid Province - Hotels Madrid Province |
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"From Madrid to the Sky ..." See also: City Guide Madrid, Hotels Madrid and Festive Madrid
Madrid is a city of great monuments. Among its highlights are the medieval center dating back to the Habsburg Empire and the Prado Museum. But Madrid is not just a cultural destination. It is also a lively
metropolis with many pubs, cafes, discotheques and nightclubs open late into
the night. Don't be surprised if you get stuck in a traffic jam at four in
the morning, and the people you meet are not necessarily going off to
work.... | |
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The capital of Spain, located in the heart of the peninsula and right in
the center of the Castillian plain 646 meters above sea level, has a
population of over three million. A cosmopolitan city, a business center,
headquarters for the Public Administration, Government, Spanish Parliament
and the home of the Spanish Royal Family, Madrid also plays a major role in
both the banking and industrial sectors. Most of its industry is located in
the Southern fringe of the city, where important textile, food and metal
working factories are clustered. Madrid is characterized by intense cultural
and artistic activity and a very lively nightlife. The grand metropolis of Madrid can trace its origins to the times of Arab Emir Mohamed I (852-886), who ordered the construction of a fortress on the left bank of the Manzanares river. Later it became the subject of a dispute between the Christians and Arabs until it was conquered by Alonso VI in the 11th century. At the end of the 17th century, a defensive wall was built for the protection of the new outlying areas, tracing the roads of Segovia, Toledo and Valencia. During the 18th century, under the reign of Carlos III, were designed the great arteries of the city, such as the Paseo del Prado and Paseo las Acacias. At the beginning of the 19th century, Joseph Bonaparte undertook the reform of the Puerta del Sol and vicinity. The commercial street known as the Gran Vía was built as an east-west avenue at the start of the century. In the 1950's the north-south boulevard called Paseo de la Castellana was extended and modern buildings were erected, housing the major financial institutions. Remainings of the distant past are mainly the Baroque and neoclassical strcutures of the 17th and 18th centuries, such as the Plaza Mayor (Main Square), the Palacio Real (Royal Palace) and others. |
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Other cities in the Province Madrid
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Alcobendas - Alcobendas is a city located in the Community of Madrid (Spain). It is located roughly 13 km north of Madrid and 7 km from the Barajas international airport of Madrid. It includes a central urban zone, a recently built district known as Valdelasfuentes, La Moraleja and El Soto de la Moraleja residential zones, the Valdelatas natural reserve and a light industrial zone. A huge high-tech firm area known as Valdelacasa is being built. Home for the Cosmocaixa sciences museum and the Diversia entertainment center, it is also a location of a basketball museum organized by Pedro Ferrándiz Foundation which is a home to FIBA Hall of Fame.
Torrejón de Ardoz - Torrejón is just a short drive away from the Juan Carlos I Exhibition Centre and Business Park at the Campo de la Naciones and just a few minutes to Madrid Barajas International Airport. Alcalá de Henares (3 km) - The beautiful historic centre of this city is a UNESCO World Heritage site and was one of the first bishoprics founded in Spain. 
Las Rozas de Madrid - The up and coming business area of Las Rozas, northwest of Madrid, in the neighborhood of Europolis and very close to the shopping malls Las Rozas Village, Factory and Heron City, full of restaurants and entertainment. Less than 20 minutes away: the monastery of San Lorenzo del Escorial and El Valle de Los Caidos.
Less than 10 minutes away: Casino Gran Madrid de Torrelodones. 
Alcalá de Henares - Its extraordinay reputation as the very first University town in the world, have led to its having been awarded the title of "World Heritage City". Besides, Alcala de Henares is the home town of the world famous writer Miguel de Cervantes. Walking through the paved streets of the old town means falling under the spell of the beauty of these places: the Colegio Mayor de San Ildefonso, the University, the Calle Mayor, the Plaza Cervantes...