The Puerta del Sol has never stopped being a warren of human life since the 15th century, when it was the most frequented district of the city. In the town wall there was a gat with a sun over it. This is how it got its name. The gate hasn been there for centuries. But the place has retained its tenden cy to teem with life. All roads lead out of the Puerta del Sol Spain’s kilometre zero and the setting of uprisings, riots demonstrations, crooked schemes, lascivious contacts, ser mons, harangues and crowded celebrations such as that organised every December 31st to see in the New Year.

Here (on the corner of Calle Mayor with Calle reo) there used to be the convent of San Felipe el Real, led down in 1838. Its staircases were a meeting-point for all Court gossips during three centuries; it was the great ru- ur-monger of the Villa and the Empire. In front of the church, at the place where the La Mallorquina patisserie now stands, one of the most renowned houses of ill-repute in Madrid used to be located, in the Golden Age. Because the a had always been well provided with mercenaries of love, centuries-old looters of those places where both crowds and institutions congregated. Faithful to tradition, the whores (called lumis in Madrid slang) are now on the lookout for trade the neighbouring streets, such as Montera, Caballero de Gracia, Espoz y Mina, Plaza de Benavente, Ballesta, Valverde Churches, hospitals, palaces and political regimes have come gone. They remain in place, like lions, untouched by discouragement and the ups and downs of the day-to-day.

For er and ever.The old Post Office (the previous regime’s Security Q and dungeon), is now the seat of the presidency of the comunidad de Madrid, the area’s autonomous government. In front of it, the statue of Mariblanca-pagan, sensual and used being moved around—seems to have found a comfortable ting-place. Nearby there is also the statue of the Bear and Strawberry Tree (‘el Oso y el Madroño’), the city’s mascot. Recently the equestrian effigy of Charles III has been installed: The city’s best Mayor, according to the chroniclers. The monument is known as ‘the screw’ (the citizens of Madrid are quick give nicknames): you have to go around the monument 23 towns if you wish to read the entire text attached to it.

Old Madrid is littered with references to to great mo- ents in Spanish literature. This was the neighbourhood of ervantes, Quevedo, Lope de Vega, Calderón, Góngora, Tir- de Molina… You feel you might run across la Gitanilla or scón don Pablos, the lawyers of wandering thieves and pa- on of con-artists. There is a vast amount of masterpieces hose characters wandered these streets day and night. One the most curious and least known was written in the 18th ntury by a Cabbalist from Salamanca, Diego de Torres y larroel, a passionate disciple of Quevedo’s. The work is en- ed Visions and Visits of Torres with Don Francisco Quevedo around Court. The author ressuscitates the ghost of his mentor and kes him around the streets of Madrid. It is a thorough andaccurate portrayal of the city and its inhabitants in the first half of the 18th century.

Madrid is a bullfighting city, and the Las Ventas bull- ring is the most important one in the world. Any bullfighter worth his salt must triumph on this tilting ground, whose front rows-especially block number 7—are full of experts expect- ing to see justice done. Even though you may not be a fan, at- tending a bullfight can be a source of tremendous sensations. Apart from the San Isidro Fair (with more than 30 different events over May and June), Sunday bullfights are held throughout most of the year. If you decide to go, you can get tickets close by the Puerta del Sol, in the Calle de la Victoria.All the bars in this side street reek of bulls. A few official offices can be found there which sell tickets in advance. But more often you will find touts in that area, who will cheat the unwary and those in a hurry.

Touts are illegal, which doesn’t mean they take their duties any less seriously. A typical tout is a well-dressed gentleman who will sidle up to you and offer his merchandise verbally, as if in secret. The prices he offers can (and should) be haggled over, as in Arab bazaars. In all events, do make certain of the exact place indicated by the ticket he is trying to palm off on you. There are maps of the bullring in the local bars.