Madrid was made the capital by Philip II in 1560. It was not by
nature attractive. The winter winds are cruel, and the summer heat
is intense. The country roundabout is bleak, and for years after it
became the capital it remained a city of small buildings and unimposing
appearance. But the court being there, it was the center of all
political and religious activities. Arts and letters received their
greatest stimulus under the patronage of church and court. Cervantes
lived there, and it was in Madrid that he finished his immortal “Don
Quixote.” The Bourbons came into power in the eighteenth century, and
then the great royal palace was built. After that Madrid increased
rapidly in population and improved in appearance. Today it is a city
of great activity, full of life, gaiety, and fashion; in short, the
Spanish Paris.
The two things that command most interest in Madrid are the palace and
the museum. The palace, which stands on high land on the site of the
old Moorish Alcázar, was erected between 1738 and 1764, and is a most
imposing structure, no matter from what side it is viewed. Some idea
of its immensity may be gathered from the statement that it covers
26,900 square yards of ground and its sides are 500 feet long. Like
many great structures in Spain, it is built of native granite. It is
not easy to gain access to the interior of the palace. Sometimes in the
absence of the royal family permission may be obtained, and those who
have the privilege of being admitted find there many relics of historic
value, a priceless collection of tapestry, a number of most interesting
old works of art, and a library containing many volumes of unique worth.
[Illustration: THE ESCORIAL
_One of the monks of the monastery on the balcony, overlooking the
formal gardens._]
[Illustration: LIBRARY OF THE ESCORIAL
_This splendid room contains many rare and valuable works. The older
books stand with their fronts toward the spectator and have their
titles stamped on the gilt edges._]
The collection of paintings in the art museum is one of the finest
in all Europe. There is a magnificent representation of the Spanish
school, and especially of the great painter Velasquez. There are sixty
pictures of his, including some of his most brilliant works. There are
also many splendid examples of the art of Murillo, and many paintings
by Rubens and Van Dyck.