After being situated in Toledo and Valladolid, in the 16th century, the capital city of the Spanish Empire was finally established in Madrid.
Madrid's fortunes have closely mirrored those of Spain.
Befitting its new found prosperity, the capital city of Spain has consolidated its position as the leading economic, cultural, industrial, educational, and technological center on the Iberian peninsula.
Madrid is also the undisputed link between the Americas, especially South America, and Europe.
Modern Madrid ranks as an important city in Europe. By attempting to establish itself as the leading southern European city and the most important link between the European Union and Latin America, the city is still in the midst of its transformation.
The modern metropolis is home to over three million people. As expected with any major European capital city, each district (or barrio in Spanish) has its own feel.
This district contains the large Plaza de Colón. This plaza commemorate Christopher Columbus, who was responsible for ushering in the Spanish imperial golden age of the 16th and 17th centuries. This district also contains the main bus terminal as it is a central point of the city. It is within walking distance of the main cultural and commercial areas of the city such as the Prado museum, the expansive Parque del Buen Retiro as well as near the business center on the lower part of the Paseo de la Castellana.
Madrid is served by Barajas International Airport. Barajas serves as the main hub of recently privatized Iberia Airlines. It consequently serves as the main gateway to the Iberian peninsula from Europe and the rest of the world. Current passenger volumes range upwards of 40 million passengers per year. Given annual increases of 10%, a new fourth terminal is in the process of being constructed. It is expected to significantly improve delays and double the capacity of the airport. Additional runways are also being constructed.
The crown jewel of Spain's next decade of infrastructure construction is the Spanish high speed rail network, Alta Velocidad Española AVE. Currently, an ambitious plan includes the construction of a 7000 km network, centered naturally on Madrid. The overall goal is to have all important provincial cities be no more than 4 hours away from Madrid, and no more than 6 hours away from Barcelona. Currently, AVEhigh-speed trains link Atocha station to Seville in the south and Lleida in the east (to be extended to Barcelona).
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German map of Madrid]]
