As the largest city on the Iberian Peninsula, there is an abundance of interesting things about Madrid.

Madrid is the capital city of Spain. Operating under the Spanish name of Villa de Madrid, Madrid is the third most populated city in the European Union. London and Berlin precede Madrid. The European Union was founded in 1992. It consists of twenty-seven democratic nations in Europe, in addition to the countries that they represent, France, Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom.

Madrid is located in the center of the Castillian plain, just along the banks of the Manzanares River. It is apart of southwest Europe's Iberian Peninsula It is the largest city on the Iberian Peninsula, which is comprised of Spain, Portugal, Andorra, and Gibraltar. The city sports a population topping three million. Madrid's partners with Barcelona, another Spanish city, and Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, as one of the financial centers of the Iberian Peninsula.

The capital city plays a pivotal position in the nation's business and banking. Madrid is Spain's headquarters for Public Administration, Government, and the royal monarch. The business industry is housed in Madrid's Southern fringe district. Other features of the neighborhood include factories for textile, food, and metal working.

Madrid is surrounded by a number of sizzling Spanish cities. Aranjuez is sandwiched on the Southern tip of Madrid, just near the Tajo River. The special vegetation and trademark weather in this region of the city solidifies it's place as one of the popular parts of the city. Just outside of Madrid, Alcala de Hernares is an urban enclave rich in art and history. Here are a few more interesting places:

Madrid's Opera Theater, also commonly known as the Royal Theater or Teatro Real, is the city's main theater district.

The Royal Palace, which once served as the home of the King, marks the entrance to the historic theater. The Royal Palace now serves as a monument of paintings by artists including Velázquez, Goya, Rubens, El Greco, and Caravaggio.

The Cuatro Torres Business Arena is the newest modern addition to Madrid's financial district. The business district is comprised of four skyscrapers with the tallest being the two hundred fifty meter high Repsol Tower. The Repsol Tower is the tallest skyscraper in Spain and the third tallest in Europe. The Sacyr-Vallehermoso Tower, the Crystal Tower, and the Espacio Tower round out Cuartro Torres' other skyscrapers.

Madrid is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Spain. The Paseo del Prado is one of the most important cultural spots in the city. Dubbed the Golden Triangle of Art, the Paseo del Prado is comprised of three museums, the Prado Museum, the Thyssen Bornemisza Museum and the Reina Sofia Museum. The Prado Museum features one of the most revered galleries of art ranging between the fourteenth and nineteenth centuries. The Prado was originally founded as a museum of paintings and sculptures. The Prado Museum includes five thousand drawings, two thousand prints, one thousand coins and medals, and nearly two thousand art works. The Thyssen Bornemisza Museum opened during the roaring twenties, and includes art collections from the periods of impressionism and expressionism. The Sofia Museum is the Spanish national museum with a specialty in twentieth century art. The museum, which officially September 10, 1992, was named in honor of Queen Sofia. It houses Pablo Picasso's Guernica.

While Spain is the second most popular destination in the country, Madrid is undisputedly the top city within it.

Richard Monk
www.FactsMonk.com