Madrid

Situated in central Spain, Madrid has its origins in the Moorish fortress of Mayrit, meaning 'place of many springs'. In 1561 Philip II established this relatively unknown town as his capital, primarily on the basis of its location at the geographical centre of the Iberian peninsula, but also because of its political obscurity. Today, the city's rich cultural and artistic heritage is immense, with excellent museums and galleries reinforcing a reputation that was formally recognized in 1992 when Madrid was proclaimed European capital of culture. This is the first English-language bibliography to provide an up-to-date annotated guide to the literature on Madrid.