Madrid offers a variety of cultural and artistic events, the result of the blend of cultures that have settled here throughout the centuries. From the beginning this city has created a broad monumental patrimony as well as traditional customs. Madrid has been an urbanized city from the time of the Arabs, when Muhamed Ibn Abd al Arman (Muhamed I) chose to build a strong fortress next to the manzanares River to defend his people against Toledo and possible Christian attacks. Some remains of the wall are still preserved today in the Almudena Cathedral and some towers have been made into bell towers.
The Madrid of the Hapsburgs and the Spanish Golden Age
With the arrival of the Hapsburgs in the 16th century Madrid became the capital of Spain. Thus a period of great artistic growth began leading to the creation of one of the most beautiful and famous areas in the capital called Madrid de las Austrias (Madrid of the Hapsburgs).
The 17th century is one of the richest eras in the history of Spain in terms of art. The urban area of the City and Court of Madrid were blessed at that time with the main architectural work of the Spanish Golden Age: the monumental Plaza Mayor.
During this century the capital was overflowing with numerous religious and knight orders that transformed the Madrid of the Hapsburgs into a conventional city. The area of the Madrid of the Hapsburgs is loaded with churches, convents and buildings whose Baroque façades contrast with the luxurious interiors of the palaces. Some of the most representative constructions of this period are the Church of las Calatravas, the Convent of the Incarnation, the Arch of Cuchilleros, and one of the most typical well known corners of Madrid, the Palace of Santa Cruz and the Church of San Antonio de los alemanes.
The Century of the Bourbons
18th century Spanish art was marked by the works of another incredible painter, Francisco de Goya y Lucientes. His paintings decorate some of the most excellent buildings of our time, such as the neoclassical Royal Palace. Juvara, Sacchetti, Sabatini and Ventura Rodriguez were the architects who worked on the construction of this magnificent palace and who designed other important buildings during that century. Other neoclassic style constructions that are part of the architectural legacy of that time include the Church of San Francisco El Grande, the gate of Carlos the 3rd (Puerta de Hierro, Puerta Del Jardín Botánico, Puerta de Alcalá) and the Astronomical Observatory, a work by Juan de Villanueva. The best neoclassical work created by this architect in Madrid is the Prado Museum. It has housed the Royal collection of paintings since 1819 and it is considered one of the best museums in the world.
19th Century The Art of the Stage
The 19th century was a new awakening to stage art in Madrid. During this century many of the most important theatres in the city were inaugurated, like the Teatro Real that opened with the performance of La Favorita de Donizetti in 1850, the Novedades Theatre in 1856 and the Apolo theatre located on Alcalá Street, which raised its curtains for the first time in 1874.
These theatres had excellent dramatic authors, actors, and actresses who kept the stage alive and who delighted the public with their brilliant performances and shows. At this time the lyrical genre of the Spanish Operetta (Zarzuela) triumphed and Madrid was the place where these masterpieces were developed. Musicians like Rafael Hernando, Gaztambide, Barbieri, Oudrid, Arrieta, Breton and Chapí, together with writers like Camprodón and Ventura de la Vega offered the worls the lyrical theatrical works like Los Diamantes de la Corona, Jugar con Fuego,, Pan y toros, and La verbena de la Paloma.
The boom of the Spanish Operreta motivated the opening of the Zarzuela Theatre in 1856. However at the beginning of the 20th century the Zarzuela began to lose its popularity and has never regained the fame that it once had. At present, many theatres of Madrid like the Zarzuela theatre offer some classic works of this gender in order to recall their glorious moments.
