Madrid

In those days the capital of all Spain was a place where life was to be found on the run in a corner, between two steel shine. (Arturo Pérez-Reverte: El capitán Alatriste)

I heard that talk of these sad world, false and hypocritical our day, and in truth no one can do better than me. I was baptized as Erauso Catherine, daughter of nobles with more hunger and honor that property, like so many. Not having my parents enough money to pay the dowry of a good marriage, and prevent his honor given in marriage to a merchant Tripon, with their ill-gotten monies have healthy coffers aguarles family the cost of blood, they decided to lock me up as a child a cloistered convent to rot me with prayers and Latin. But soon I learned to jump the walls of the convent, just as I later learned to skip the barriers imposed on people of my gender. Only to tell the hair banding and dress pants breasts, I've been naughty, marine, soldier, duelist, bully and a thousand other things. He was received by kings, emperors and popes, and though I have exhibited as a freak show or a wonder of nature, the fact remains that I have shown that women can be adventurous in a man's world.

But enough about me, that's beside the point, and it will make the reporter if you like where appropriate.

Town and court

Theologians say (although the Italian Galileo like to contradict) the earth is the center of the universe. And Rome is the center of the world, and that he entered Rome is the Pope, and God has his eyes fixed on him. Theologies will not go here because I have traveled the world to believe that too has a central part, and I've lived too long to believe that God has his eyes on one thing. But, put to put something in the middle, nothing better to do in the capital of largest empire the world has ever known ...

According to Núñez de Castro, the city of Madrid has four hundred streets, sixteen squares, thirteen parishes, thirty convents of religious dieceséis to get wet and twenty-four hospitals, chapels and shrines. Others claim it is fourteen thousand houses, this being the Recidencias, apartments or flats where the family lived, that many buildings were subdivided, as at present. Speak more reliable data than 9500 buildings in 1620.

In any event, no less than 130 000 living souls in this city (which many pious predicator have duchy called "New Babylon" for the many sins committed in it), famous for the purity of its waters, which alone are able to appease their hunger, and the air so clean that the dead smell better than the living. This air is so subtle propagation of diseases and to thicken it and make it healthier, the people of Madrid have not hesitated in convents your city in one of the dirtiest in Europe. Indeed, the corners of the streets serve as garbage cans and toilets, although much has to be the need to go to relieve one of them, who have been larger than rabbits, rats and most beasts mastiffs. As there are no sewers in the village (only a few palaces and convents have cesspools, underground tanks where wastewater is deposited), after eleven at night is allowed to throw away garbage and immundicias, as well as emptying basins of urine and feces to the cry of "Agua va!", although not precisely rosewater that shoot. And the hapless lover who walks in their best clothes to go to haunt his beloved the better it is to be quick to hear that voice, or you "spoil" the party, if I may say so. The European cities are not exactly clean, but all travelers, whether through envy or sheer desperation, agree that Madrid is absolutely unbearable, especially in summer. So much so that Magagnati Girolamo, mediocre poet who is part of the embassy of the Duke of Modena in the Villa, has composed a poem about Madrid is the resounding name of the Merdeira. I do not think you need translation.

Streets

The main streets are wide and the sides have a close row of uncut stones, like a sidewalk. And thank goodness, because the roads are paved with sharp pebbles pedermal very uncomfortable for the scour to be on foot. Unfortunately, these roads are often so muddy in winter, sometimes, the cars are stuck in the mud. In summer, the thing is not much better, the mud turns to dust and, if the wind blows the mountains, it becomes a sort of fog, thick and suffocating, over which echoes the heavy midday sun Castilian. The side roads are much worse, as well as being authentic dung, as already mentioned, are narrow and winding, no landfills to alleviate the disparities, thus going down a steep street gives a very similar feeling to do so by a ravine or mountain river channel, especially in winter. And is that we have the saying goes: "To mists, for slopes and mud, Madrid."

At night, the situation is much worse. Besides the danger of being watered by the filth that rain from the windows, is the fact that the only light that is in the streets is, from time when, a lantern or candle burning before the image of a virgin or saint built in a niche on the facade of a house, fortunately widespread practice, though sad and low light is given. With the possibilities, not falling prey to some robbers, but tripped and fell on a puddle of "mud", are numerous. Therefore, those who can afford it are preceded by a servant with a lantern, lighting the way to go.

The various buildings that make up the streets, of course, are not numbered. If you are a friend of the family, already know this or that detail in the facade that will recognize it. If it comes with on the street will give you any reason. But if you come at night or bad ... Well, we must not provide facilities to the people of the card ... no?

Houses

Surprising the traveler with the large number of houses available, on one level, that is in the capital of the Empire. Custom build and is due to the mischievousness of Madrid, as the buildings of more than one plant are required by law to call Aposento Regalia of free hosting officials of the Court, that the impunity granted to them office, make use and abuse of hospitality that are being enforced. Therefore known to the houses with the name of "homes for malice," as they are built with mockery of the law, and is estimated to total more than two thirds of all residential buildings which is Madrid. This practice causes the buildable land is very expensive and very high rents. People have to live wherever possible, either in wretched attic full of leaks, which can barely walk upright, either in "caves", name given to the basement converted into housing. This custom Madrid causes no little surprise, and even contempt, the visitor, post a novelty which is not practiced in other regions of the globe. By contrast, in the old mansions of the nobility, and ramshackle semi-abandoned, people are crowded together, sometimes one family per room. And living together is not always easy, says it Tirso de Molina in La jealous of herself: "Here in a home may / often live eight to ten / neighbors as I saw / and spend a whole year / without speaking or knowing / each other ... "

Outside, the houses are mediocre-looking, covered with mud brick. Only the foundations are of stone, and a balcony or arc in the noble houses (sometimes, if you're family really principal, the entire facade.) The windows are small, usually adorned with iron bars. In contrast, very few have crystals, which is expensive luxury, these being replaced by sheets of parchment, which filter the light leaving the room, at best, in a soft shadow.

Inside the palace (although it would almost be better to say "houses") of the powerful, the situation changes. Although it is fashionable to sobriety, it is not incompatible with good taste: quality furniture, mirrors, rugs and carpets to alleviate the cold winter in Madrid and, above all, paintings. For Philip IV to be our great collector of works of art, especially paintings, nobility and even the bourgeoisie can afford to imitate.

Walking through the town

Place worth seeing for the foreigner is curious to start well, the Real Alcazar, Recidencia monarchy. It was originally an Arab fortress, to which the various Christian kings were added changes, notably Charles I and his son Philip II. It is a massive building, rectangular, with two interior courtyards to the Castilian manner, ie lined columns and surrounded by rooms and halls, called "Patio King" and "Patio de la Reina." The rooms surrounding the first are used as the residence of the royal family. Patio area of the Queen, however, is for administrative purposes: there have their offices and secretaries of the various councils of the kingdom, and in their basements are busy clerks and bureaucrats, properly called "cuevachuelistas" because in squalid working underground enclosures.

It is a gloomy building, which the successive reforms have filled nooks and recoveros, disused staircases, hidden doors behind the tapestries in corridors and even unknown to most. According to widespread rumor is enchanted by goblins and ghosts, and in truth, like any self-respecting old building, there are many cracks in it, the strange noises and whistling of the wind, but raised more than a gullible souls taken by sighs in pain. (The palace of the Habsburgs was destroyed by fire in 1774, so have to rely on my word)

The widest street in the town is called, with propriety, Calle Mayor. As she likes to walk the woods with their carriages to see and be seen, and the best shops are there: jewelers, clothiers, trails, cobblers ... In general, luxury items, only available to the few bags that are full enough to afford such bleeding. In the High Street is also the best and most famous brothel in Madrid, that of Solera, berreadero not exactly cheap, and excuse me ladies. For those who want to divert their leisure in a less sinful, is near the Convent of San Felipe el Real, in whose steps is the most popular tavern in the town, much frequented by soldiers. Although there are other two (the hangout for comedians on Calle Atocha and slabs of the palace, opposite the Alcázar, a favorite of cuevachuelistas and speaking, especially in politics), San Felipe is by far , the largest of the three.

In the Calle Mayor, especially in the vicinity of the Alcazar, there are many palaces, noble as the crowd around the proximity of the king as greyhounds whine to get attention from his master. The biggest among them may be the palace of the Duke of Uceda, attached to the Convent of Sacramento, the Bernardine Cistercian nuns.

Nearby is the Plaza Mayor, arcaded main square, the true heart of the town. This is a great area of 120m by 100 (well, actually 94), surrounded by six-story buildings of red brick. It is a place dedicated to city life: under the arcades is situated current market day and in the square, and a thousand celebrated the holidays popular shows, from lanceolate to play bull rushes, through executions or autos.

Another place to remember, though not nearly as important as the previous one, is the Plaza de los Herradores, since there meet the unemployed, both rogues and honest, and is therefore obligatory place of passage for anyone who want to hire a servant. In is place can be rented sedan chairs and even carriages or cars.

Pious buildings include the Bishop's Chapel, so named because the Village is no episcopal see (which is not, it depends on the bishop of Toledo), but by the Bishop of Plasencia Don Gutierrez de Vargas, who ordered to build a chapel accommodate the incorrupt body of San Isidro, patron saint of Madrid. But do not look for miracle of the saint's body in it, it was taken in 1544 to the church of San Andrés, burial since medieval times, which is very close to the preceding. It wants to build (and indeed, in 1622 and have laid the foundation) a church dedicated to San Isidro, which will be erected in the street Toledo. It will be a Jesuit temple, inspired by the mother church of the order, the Gesu, which is in Rome. It is responsible for the works the architect Pedro Sanchez, but it is true that they move very slowly...

The people of Madrid, as has been said, are friends of the ride, so much to see and to be seen. In winter cavalcade down Main Street, but in summer the heat and dust makes them prefer to go places more clear: the Paseo del Prado, thick grove that has a pool of five hundred feet long which are sometimes carried out naval representations, the Steel Source, across the Manzaranes, spring whose waters cure melancholy in women. It is also not uncommon Huerta de Juan Fernández, next to the meadow of Recoletos, a good place for picnics, teas and dances. These solitary and shady places, as well as for leisure ride comfort are excellent for appointments gallant loved ... and to clean soiled honor, it is easy, at night, finding in them a discreet place where they make duels.