Alcalá de Henares is a Spanish city, whose historical centre is one of the UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites, and formerly one of the first bishoprics founded in Spain. Located in the Autonomous Community of Madrid, it has a population of around 200,000, the second largest of the region after the Spanish capital itself.
Alcalá de Henares has become a key destination for Cultural Tourism. Located 30 kilometres from Madrid. Alcalá has many religious and civic buildings of interest to the visitor. The visitor can also take a quiet stroll around the old town and, at lunchtime, try classic Castilian cuisine or try “tapas” in some typical bar.
We will go to Alcala on May 1st in the morning. We will take the short distance’s train (Cercanias) in Atocha Train Station, the trip last only 35 minutes. After we will walk around the city , and we will book a guided visit in English, (inscription is mandatory because we need to make the reservation) and then, we will take some tapas in different bars of the old city, before back to Madrid.
Meeting point: Atocha CERCANIAS RENFE platform 3 at 9.00 h. / 2nd: at 10.00 Alcala Henares Train Station /3 at 10.45 San Diego Square, door of University/ 4 at 11.30 San Diego Sq. , door of university
Aprox price p/visit: return ticket 4.9 €, 3 guided visit, drink with tapa 2,05€
ATTENTION: VISIT GUIDED CLOSE, ALL THE PLACES FILLED
Alcalá de Henares es una ciudad española, cuyo centro histórico es Patrimonio Mundial declarado por la UNESCO, y uno de los primeros arzobispados fundados en España. Localizado en la Comunidad de Madrid, tiene una población de 200.000 habitantes, la segunda de la región.
Es un destino clave en el turismo regional. Situado a 30 km. de Madrid, tiene muchos edificios religiosos y civiles de interés. El visitante puede también probar su cocina castellana o tomar tapas en algún bar típico.
Iremos a la ciudad natal de Cervantes y la primera ciudad universitaria de Europa el día 1 de mayo por la mañana. Tomaremos el tren de cercanías en Atocha, el viaje dura 35 minutos. Hemos reservado una visita guiada en inglés al edificio principal de la Universidad. La inscripción en el submeeting es necesaria para concretar la reserva. Después tomaremos algunas tapas antes de regresar a Madrid.
Puntos de encuentro: Estación de Atocha Cercanías Renfe, andén 3, a las 9.00/ Estación de Alcalá de Henares, 10.00/ Puerta del Rectorado de la Universidad en Plaza San Diego 10.45 / idem 11.30
Precio aproximado: Tren ida y vuelta 4.90, Visita guiada Universidad 3 , Bebida con tapa 2.05 cada una
ATENCION: LA VISITA GUIADA A LA UNIVERSIDAD YA ESTA COMPLETA
Alcalá de Henares is a millennial city, with traces of a splendorous and brilliant past. Hometown to saints, scholars, geniuses and kings, it has seen the History of Spain pass before its eyes and each epoch has left its imprint on its walls.
Walking around Alcalá is following the traces of the History of Spain. Important enclave during the Roman Empire, Arab stronghold, key centre of the Spanish culture during the Golden Age, seat of the University of Cisneros and birthplace to one of our greatest writers, the immortal Miguel de Cervantes. Alcalá de Henares has witnessed many civilizations in the last 5.000 years. Each of them made a generous contribution to the city’s rich heritage.
The most splendorous period of Alcalá de Henares begins by the end of XV century. In 1495, Cardinal Cisneros is appointed Archbishop of Toledo and, in 1499, decides to found the University. The first students arrive in 1508. From that moment on, a urbanistic renovation takes place originating an actual “university town.
The centre of the city is medieval, with many twisty cobbled streets, and a lot of historic buildings. The last 10-15 years there has been a notable improvement in the city, and nowadays it is a pleasure to walk its streets. Fortunately the old city centre has been saved, unlike the suburbs. The historical centre is characterised by lower, Spanish Golden Age buildings, of which the most lavish belong to the University. The city centre surrounds the Cervantes square and the long pedestrian main street “Calle Mayor”.
History
The city boundaries have been inhabited since the Calcolithic. Pre-Roman Celtiberian tribes populated the hills nearby, but it was the conquering Romans who in 1 BC moved it to its current site. Thus, it became the only Roman town in the Madrid region – its ancient Latin name being Complutum. With 10,000 inhabitants, it reached the status of Municipium and had its own governing institutions. After the falling apart of the Roman Empire, under the Visigoths, it declined. When in 711 the Moors arrived, they subdued the Visigothic city and founded another site, building an al-qalat, which it means “castle” in old Arabic, on a nearby hill, today known as Alcalá la Vieja (Old Alcalá). On May 3, 1118 it was reconquered by the Archbishop of Toledo, Spain Bernardo de Sedirac in the name of Castile. The Christians preferred the Burgo de Santiuste (“Saint Just’s borough”) on the original Roman site and the Arab one was abandoned. The city was ceded to the Bishopric of Toledo, which granted it ferial rights. Under Christian rule until the end of the Reconquista, the city sported both a Jewish and a Moorish quarter and had a renowned marketplace. Its central position allowed it to be a frequent residence of the Kings of Castile, when travelling south.
At some time in the 1480s Christopher Columbus had his first meeting at the “Casa de la Entrevista” with the Reyes Católicos, Ferdinand and Isabella, who financed the travel for the Discovery of America. In 1496, Cardinal Cisneros founded the Universidad Complutense, which became famous as a centre of learning during the Renaissance.
Alcalá de Henares was one of the best breeding grounds for writers in the Golden Age of Spain. Cisneros could attract to his University
intellectuals of the stature of Antonio de Nebrija, author of the first Spanish grammar, who printed the Complutensian Polyglot Bible between its walls. Lope de Vega and Quevedo walked around its patios as students. Here was born Arcipreste de Hita and lived Catherine of Aragon. But without doubt, the most illustrious Complutensian has been -and will be- Miguel de Cervantes.
At its cultural height, Charles II bestows the title of City on Alcalá, even earlier than Madrid.
The author Miguel de Cervantes was born in Alcalá de Henares, and baptized in the Church of Santa Maria in 1547, although his family moved from the city when he was still young. The city celebrates his birthday, 9 October, every year and organizes an annual Cervantes festival. The local university is acknowledged as a global leader in the study of Cervantes and his works.
Past the Golden Age, Alcalá commenced a period of slow decline. Come down in the world during XVIII and XIX centuries, it was a great misfortune for Alcalá that its University was moved to Madrid in 1837 due to political reasons. The cultural atmosphere impoverished and the university centres were turned into military centres. The city suffered severe damage during the Spanish Civil War. It was not until the second half of the 20th century, in the decade of the sixties, when the city experiments a definitive ascent. A period of economical recovery begins, accompanied by a phase of great industrial expansion that has transformed Alcalá in one of the most important cities of the Community of Madrid with more than 170,000 inhabitants.The University was reestablished in 1977.
In 1990, the Cervantes Institute, the cultural embassy of Spain in the world for the promotion and tuition of the Spanish language, is founded and established its seat in Alcalá.
The City of Alcalá de Henares, birthplace of Miguel de Cervantes, was named a World Heritage site by UNESCO in December 1998, in recognition of the fact that Alcalá was the first planned university town as such in the world. In its declaration UNESCO clearly mentions the University and the old part of Alcalá de Henares, an area which began to develop from the Middle Ages and in which Jews, Moslems and Christians lived together peacefully. Also in recognition of the fact that Alcalá was the first city to be designed and built solely as the seat of a university, and was to serve as the model for other centres of learning in Europe and America.
UNESCO’s declaration not only refers to Alcalá’s breathtaking historical heritage, but also to its contribution to the intellectual development of humankind, the advances in linguistics that took place there and, not least, to the definition of the Spanish language, specially through the work of its great son Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, and his masterpiece Don Quixote.
University
The major landmark and greatest pride of the city, its university, is spread throughout the city, but generally exists in two campuses. The first is on the north side of Alcala. This campus includes most science departments and student housing. The second, central campus, houses most of the humanity and social science departments, including a law school.
The architectural influence of the university can be found in other present-day academic institutions. The University of San Diego is largely based on the Spanish University; its campus and address take the name “Alcalá Park.” In addition, the buildings at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas were modeled after the architecture of Universidad de Alcala de Henares.
It occupies the buildings of the old Universidad Complutense in the city centre. In the Middle Ages Alcala was famous for its university founded by Cardinal Cisneros, which stood on the site of the modern Colegio de San Ildefonso.
