Medieval Madrid

28th May 2012 5th grade excursion

In history the 5th graders had learnt about Medieval times and as a conclusion to their course they went on a tour around the parts of Madrid that were there in Medieval times. Marisol the 5th grade teacher kindly invited both Harry and Charley's mother and brother.

Setting off on the train into Madrid; Billy and Harry with Juan and Adrian.

Charley with Jose and JoJo

The whole 5th grade class including Marisol at Principe Pio - the tour starting point.

Infront of Palacio Real.

Almudena Cathedral

9th Century Muralla Árabe (Arabic Walls) or Muralla de los Musulmanes (the wall of the Muslims) with Parque del Emir Mohamed I behind. The park was named after the founder of Madrid.
Madrid is believed to get its name from the Arabic word Mayrit (meaning the source of life) because the fortress protected by the wall was called this as it was built close to a plentiful source of water.

Plan of Madrid showing the Arab and Christian wall and Puertas around it.
Situated next to Parque del Emir Mohamed I with the Cathedral as the background.

Viaducto de Segovia crossing Calle Segovia.
Not part of their official tour but I was told about it anyway.
Originally made from iron and timber in the 1870s was replaced in the 1930s by reinforced concrete and had to be rebuilt after the Civil War and then in 1970 restored to its former glory to look the way it is today. Due to the 23m height it is infamous for suicides and in 1998 the authorities were forced to put up transparent screens to hinder access to the edges.

Plaza de la cruz verde
The Square of the Green Cross was where Spanish executions took place and such places were marked by a green cross.  It was also the gathering place for the calvalries entering the city via the Puertas de Moros.

The boys are sitting infront of a 19th century fountain "La Fuente de Diana Cazadora" behind which is a convent. The fountain was built in 1850 for the purpose of portable water for the community. Diana, the virgin goddess of hunting and protector of nature is sculpted in white marble on top. Beneath her is the coat of arms of Madrid.

Plaza del Alamillo, Moorish Quarter of Madrid, where the seat of the Arab court was thought to have stood from the 9th century.

Plaza de la Paja.
Locaction of Madrid's main street market (zoco) during Muslim rule.
Its name originates from the hay (paja) that was auctioned there.

It was lunch time for the children and I needed to leave to go to work so sadly I could not continue their tour throughout the afternoon, however, below is a map of all the places they visited.