Madrid is set in the heart of the Iberian Peninsula. It is a cosmopolitan city with more than 3 million residents. It covers an area of 600 square kilometers. It is also the administrative, cultural and commercial capital of Spain.

Madrid possesses a magnificent transportation system. It is probably one of the most extensive in Europe. The city is very well communicated with the rest of Spain, which makes it very easy to get there.  Madrid is at distance of 692 kilometers from Palma de Mallorca, the largest distance between any of the host cities of EuroBasket and the capital.  It is also at a distance of 538 kilometers from Seville, 434 kilometers from Granada, and  432 kilometers from Alicante.

Madrid’s climate combines high temperatures during the summer months and lows during the winter months, which are normally cold and dry. It is set at an altitude of more than 600 meters, which makes some of its temperatures differ from those of the surrounding cities.

The annual average temperature is 14.6 degrees Celsius, with a maximum of 19.4 degrees and a minimum of 9.7 degrees. As for the month of September, Madrid’s maximum average temperature is 25.0 degrees, whereas the low average is 15 degrees.

The town of Madrid has its origins in the time of the Muslim prince Mohamed I (852-886), who ordered that a fortress be built on the left bank of the Manzanares River.

Alfonso VI conquered it in 1083. Felipe II moved the Court to Madrid in 1561, and from that point on, the town was gradually transformed by the monarchs of the House of Austria.  Felipe III and Felipe VI were given the mission of enlarging and making Madrid more beautiful. For such a task, they relied on the architectural magic of Juan Gomez de Mora.

During the 17th century a wall was constructed to provide shelter for the newer and poorer areas that had been added to the city. The layout of the wall coincides with what are today the avenues of Segovia, Toledo and Valencia. It was a Bourbon king, Carlos III, who modernized the wall in the 18th century, establishing the newer, larger boulevards of the city, such as El Paseo de la Castellana, Recoletos, El Prado and Acacias.
The 19th century was marked by the War of Independence and the notorious executions of the 2nd of May.  In addition, Jose Bonaparte undertook the renovation of the central plaza “La Puerta del Sol” and its surroundings. During the reign of Isabel II, the city’s development was noteworthy. The expansion of the city was later resumed at the end of the century.

At the beginning of the 20th century the Gran Via Avenue was designed and built.  Halfway through the century, El Paseo de la Castellana was extended and modern buildings were constructed to replace the old stately manors.  Some of the most important companies in the financial world were located in these new buildings.  Today Madrid is an open, cosmopolitan city with a vibrant cultural and night life. It is also the location of one of the first classical art galleries in the world, the Prado Museum.

Madrid is known for its unlimited cultural and artistic possibilities. The city boasts over 100 museums, as well as a large number of diverse artistic treasures, unrivaled in Europe. Of all of these, “The Golden Triangle” stands out the most. It includes the Prado Museum, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum and the Renia Sofia Art Center.

		Madrid

Other collections of cultural heritage can be found in the Real Academia Museum of Fine Arts in San Fernando and the Royal Palace.  Madrid has an abundant number of parks and gardens with more than 30,000 Hectares of public parks, like The Royal Botanical Gardens of the Moors in La Casa de Campo.

In recent years Madrid has become a reference point for Europe with its many trade fairs and conventions.  The city is the city in Spain most preferred for business meetings, and according to the International Congress and Conventions Association (ICCA), it holds second place in Europe in the number of international meetings that take place.

In 1561, King Felipe II chose Madrid as the capital of Spain and of his empire. Since then, Madrid grew rapidly and has began to develop new plazas, palaces, churches and other public buildings. One of the most popular tourist attractions is the historic center of Madrid. This neighborhood is also known as “the Madrid of the Austrians”, referring to the monarchs of the House of Austria.  The site most visited by tourists is the Plaza Mayor.

By Air
The Madrid-Barajas Airport is strategically situated in the center of Spain. It is 12 kilometers northeast of the city of Madrid, set on the plain in the Jarama River valley. As a result of the Barajas Plan, improvements have been made in infrastructures and services of the airport, making it one of the most important links between Latin America and Europe. In 2005, the airport registered traffic of 42,146,784 passengers and 333,137 tons of merchandise, while performing 415,704 operations.

The Barajas airport receives almost 2,000 national and international flights from 131 destinations. All of the most important airlines fly out of Madrid each day, making it a bridge between the continents of Europe, North and South America, Asia and Africa. The Madrid-Barajas Airport is well connected to the cities highway system, including the M-30, A-2, N-II and the M-40. The airport is only 20 minutes from the city center.

By Rail:
Madrid is the center of a very modern railway system that covers all of Spain and easily reaches the rest of Europe. There are two train stations in the city center, Chamartin and Atocha, the latter being the station from which the high speed AVE train travels, connecting Madrid and Seville in 2 hours and 15 minutes.

2006

The King’s Cup Basketball Tournament
Madrid Marathon
Mountain Bike World Cup
Triathlon World Cup
Madrid Track and Field Meet
Last Stage of the Spanish “La Vuelta” Cycling Championship
Kickboxing World Championship
Badminton World Championship
Foil Fencing World Cup
Community of Madrid Rally
CM Handball Tournament

2005

CM Basketball Tournament
European Indoor Track and Field Championship
Judo World Cup
Taekwondo World Championship
Mountain Bike World Cup
Triathlon World Cup
Archery World Championship
World Road Cycling
Master Series Madrid 2005
Her Majesty the Queen’s Women’s Water Polo Cup
European Kayak Polo Championship
Spanish Ice Figure Skating Championship
His Majesty the King’s Water Polo Cup
Spanish Motocross Championship
World Off- Road Cycling Championship
Spanish Women’s Boxing Championship

2004

Madrid 2012 International Basketball Tournament
European Swimming Championship
Mountain Bike World Cup
Triathlon World Cup
Spanish “La Vuelta” Cycling Championship
Tennis Masters Series Madrid 2004
II International Olympic Women’s Wrestling Qualifying Tournament
Floorball World Cup
Wheelchair Fencing World Cup
European Hockey Cup

For more information about the city see www.munimadrid.es