Noble Madrid Tour - Art Scenes

MADRID

Noble

After Madrid became the capital of the newly kingdom of Spain in the XVI century, the city got invaded by nobles who built over the centuries sumptuous residences with ornate interiors that still stand till this day; and in recent years some of these palaces have become museums you can visit — so get ready to feel like cayetano for a day

Time period: 1500s-1800s

Movie/book: La Corona: The Monarchy of Spain (2024)/ Fortunata y Jacinta by Benito Perez Galdos

Soundtrack: castanets/Jose Melchor Gomis’ opera

Fashion: pastel colors, long coat plus jewelry

Budget:

Map of Madrid in the year 1875 inside the Museo de Historia de Madrid

This tour would take you through the streets of: Malasaña, the neighborhood where the nobility and the military elite used to live in discreet palaces with ornate interiors and hidden gardens; and through Calle de Alcalá, the extension of the old Main Street of Madrid. The area is characterized by: sober baroque architecture, rectilinear streets and hidden monasteries. The evolution of Madrid was extremely related to the court: first it grew from a small Arab village into a royal christian town in 1561 (when Phillip the II moved his family from Toledo to the old alcazar of Madrid) giving us the Spanish Golden Age (1492-1659); but for some periods the royal court (and the nobility) left the city due to wars turning Madrid into a ghost town; and after the Spanish war of Succession (1714) it went from a royal christian town into an enlightened luxury city with royal manufactures like the ones in Venice. This is the time (1500-1800) when colonialists, nobles, and the clergy meander around the city; the neighborhood of Malasaña (Barrio De Maravillas at the time) became the luxury residential neighborhood of Madrid; Puerta de Sol and Calle Montera were known for its luxury stores; Calle Mayor/San Jerónimo was the place to people watch; and Calle de Alcalá with the Paseo del Prado were the promenades where the elite rode their carriages. Sadly in the 1800s the nobility ceased to have power and privileges; then the monarchy was overthrown from 1931 to 1975 when the Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed. King Alfonso XIII and the royal family were forced to exile the country; and when the monarchy was restored in the 70s the royals didn’t go back to Royal Palace, instead they went to the Zarzuela Palace: the official new royal residence in the hills outside of Madrid. Through the republic days the nobility didn’t lost their wealth nor their prestige, with many of them becoming the aristocracy of Spain (along bankers and fascist industrialist). Today there are around 2,200 nobles in Spain, with the deceased Duchess of Alba having the record of the person with the most noble titles in the world — over 50 of them. Some other famous members of the nobility include the president of the IE Law School in Madrid, the Duke of Hijar or the CEO of the construction company FCC, The Marchioness of Casa Peñalver. Today the Spanish monarchy faces a critical point in history with many questioning their role as Spain has “transitioned into a democracy”; and the many scandals of the royal family haven’t helped, damaging their reputation. The tour suggest visiting 3 historical palaces from nobles in the morning (one of which belonged to the iconic Duchess of Alba); then the museum of History of Madrid, plus lunch and a walking tour around Calle Alcalá in the afternoon; and to end the day take a picture in front of the Puerta de Alcala plus a night walk in El Parque del Retiro.