Introduction of the bidding city for the 2016 Olympic Games： Madrid, Spain
Madrid, the capital of Spain, is a famous historical city in Europe. Located in the center of Iberian Peninsula at the southernmost tip of the European continent, located on the Meseta Plateau, with an altitude of 670 meters, it is the highest capital city in Europe. The terrain is blocked, the climate is continental, the precipitation is less, and the annual temperature difference is larger. The average temperature is 4.8℃ in January, 25℃ in July, and the annual precipitation is 425mm. The urban area is 607 square kilometers, including suburbs and satellite towns, with an area of 1,020 square kilometers and a population of 3.6 million, making it the largest city in Spain. It is the national economic and transportation center.
Before the 11th century, it was a Moorish fortress, which was called "Ma Gelett" in ancient times. In 1561, King Philip II of Spain moved the capital here. It developed into a big city in the 19th century. During the Spanish Civil War from 1936 to 1939, the famous battle of Madrid was fought here.
Madrid has a wealth of cultural relics, many places of interest and world-famous painting exhibition hall Prado Museum. Modern high-rise buildings in the city and ancient buildings with different styles stand shoulder to shoulder and set each other off. Woods, lawns, fountains with unique shapes and fountains carved with the statue of Nibele, the goddess of nature respected by ancient Asia Minor, are the most attractive. The magnificent Alcala Gate is located in the Independence Square on the street of Alcala. It has five arches and is one of the famous ancient buildings in Madrid. The Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Education and the main banks in Spain are located on both sides of Alcala Street. The Wangjia Academy of Fine Arts, which was built in 1752, collects masterpieces by Spanish artists such as Renzhiluo and Goya. The towering Cervantes monument stands in the Spanish square, with statues of Don Quixote and Sanco Panza in front of it, and the huge monument is reflected in the pool in front, with lush trees on both sides; The Spanish skyscraper known as the "Tower of Madrid" is located on one side of the square.
The famous Plaza Mayol, located in the southwest of the city, was built in 1619. It is rectangular, and the statue of Spanish King Philippe III le Bon riding a horse stands in the center of the square. Not far away is Taiyangmen Square, where there is the historic site of Taiyangmen. There are also palace buildings in the city, such as the Royal Palace, which was built in the middle of the 18th century, and the Oriental Palace, where the Spanish king received foreign dignitaries and envoys.
The TV Tower built for the TV broadcast of the 12th World Cup in 1982 is the tallest building in Spain, with a height of 220 meters. At the same time, in order to facilitate the interviews of thousands of journalists, a 156-meter-long and 4-meter-wide high-altitude pedestrian passage was built on Castellana Avenue, the widest street with the largest traffic flow in the city. There are also golf courses, tennis courts, racecourses, alpine ski resorts, car races and other sports facilities in the city.
Madrid is the hub of railway, highway and air traffic in Spain, with six railway stations, several airports and underground railways.
Madrid, the capital of Spain, is the only "European power" capital on the European continent that has not hosted the Olympic Games. When bidding for the 2012 Olympic Games, Madrid also took part in the competition. On the 6th, King Juan Carlos I of Spain called Queen Sophia and Prime Minister Zapatero, who helped Madrid bid for the 2012 Olympic Games in Singapore, to express satisfaction with their work and encourage Madrid to continue bidding for the Olympic Games. The torch relay of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games will not pass through Madrid.
Editor: Xu Guimei