num_pages: 304
description: At the heart of the Castilian plateau far from the seething coastal resorts of Spain sits the great city of Madrid. Perched some 2200 feet above the distant sea it is at once the loftiest and also the most enigmatic of Europes difficult to understand for the Spanish and foreigners alike. Its intense character and the abrupt manner and hectic lifestyle of the madrileos can make even other Spaniards feel exhausted. Yet Madrid has a rich historical and cultural life which attracts almost eight million visitors per year drawn to its beautiful palaces and churches the magnificent collections of the Prado and the pervasive echoes of a faded empire. Despite its ancient origins Madrid feels like a modern youthful city. But the legacy of Madrids *golden age*the Spanish colonies from the Andes to the Philippines from which the city derived its wealthremains evident in the extravagant Baroque faades of the old city. Jules Stewart here provides an insiders account of Madrid and unveils the history and culture of one of Europes most fascinating but least understood cities.
language: English
title: Madrid: The History
publisher: I.B. Tauris