Madrid, Europe’s Fourth-Largest City, Deserves More Appreciation
Rome has always stirred imaginations, while London and Paris have held sway over the centuries, and Berlin has captured interest for the last few decades. Yet, it is another significant European capital, Madrid, that has recently begun to command similar fascination. In "Madrid" by Luke Stegemann, this Australian historian seeks to uncover the reasons behind the Spanish capital’s emerging prominence. While not the inaugural English-language narrative of Madrid, Stegemann's work stands out in a notably sparse area as the most comprehensive depiction of a city pushing its way to the forefront of Europe.
Unlike Paris or London, Madrid does not serve as the ancient core of Spain. The city boasts relatively few old structures and only became the nation’s capital when King Felipe II declared it as such in 1561. The exact reasons for his choice remain unclear, although several theories persist: its central position was advantageous, and it faced no significant local challenges to royal authority (unlike nearby Toledo, which was under the influence of a powerful archbishop). Madrid was more than just a small village, contrary to some claims, and it remains unique as the only European capital that originated from an Islamic settlement. This settlement, initially a modest village named Mayrit, was fortified by Muslims around the 10th century to defend against Christian reconquests.
Madrid's detractors often unjustly accuse it of merely benefiting from its role as the governmental hub, allegedly extracting more from Spain than it contributes. Stegemann disputes this view, illustrating how, from the 16th to the early 19th century, Madrid evolved from a makeshift capital to the heart of the world’s largest empire, attracting a confluence of artistic and political luminaries.
Madrid's cultural zenith, the Siglo de Oro or Golden Age, occurred alongside the ascendancy and eventual decline of the Habsburg dynasty. This period showcased extraordinary talents such as Diego Velázquez in painting, and Miguel de Cervantes and Félix Lope de Vega in literature and theater. Despite Spain’s subsequent waning as a world power, Madrid continued to be a magnet for brilliant minds, including Francisco Goya, drawn to its royal court.
Stegemann’s work not only highlights individuals who thrived in Madrid but also those whose careers were made possible by relocating there. While Spain boasts many great cities, the stories of Velázquez from Seville and Goya from Zaragoza are tightly intertwined with Madrid. One of the book's significant contributions is its placement of Madrid within broader European cultural movements rather than isolating it as a unique Iberian entity; the influence of Spanish kings over large parts of Europe, for example, explains the rich collection of works by Bosch, Rubens, Titian, and others in the Prado Museum.
Today, Madrid attracts an increasing number of tourists, with the Prado just one among many renowned museums. The city’s booming economy continues to draw migrants from across Spain. Those interested in specific dates and architects of particular attractions or districts will need to refer to guidebooks or online resources. Surprisingly, "Madrid" offers scant details on the internationalization of the economy or the city's aspirations to be a leading capital within the Spanish-speaking world, a magnet for vast numbers of Latin Americans.
