About the Tilting at Windmills, an Excursion Walk in Madrid
Located just 30 km from Madrid, the hometown of Miguel de Cervantes, Alcalá de Henares, feels a world away. The ivy-covered buildings of the local university (one of the oldest in the world), the quiet medieval streets, and the rich artistic and theatrical heritage make Alcalá one of the most enriching—if least well-known—day excursions out of Madrid.
We begin our half-day trip at the Atocha station in Madrid where we catch one of the frequent commuter trains that make the half-hour trip to the historic center of Alcalá. Along the way, our docent—an expert in Spanish history—will annotate the trip with a mixture of geographical and historical background.
Alcalá de Henares is renowned as the
birthplace of Miguel de Cervantes, author of Don Quixote. So, we'll structure our visit partly around his literary biography, visiting his home (now a museum) and also the Corral de Comedias, the earliest surviving theater in Spain and a contemporary to the famous Globe (now destroyed) in London. A
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Located just 30 km from Madrid, the hometown of Miguel de Cervantes, Alcalá de Henares, feels a world away. The ivy-covered buildings of the local university (one of the oldest in the world), the quiet medieval streets, and the rich artistic and theatrical heritage make Alcalá one of the most enriching—if least well-known—day excursions out of Madrid.
We begin our half-day trip at the Atocha station in Madrid where we catch one of the frequent commuter trains that make the half-hour trip to the historic center of Alcalá. Along the way, our docent—an expert in Spanish history—will annotate the trip with a mixture of geographical and historical background.
Alcalá de Henares is renowned as the
birthplace of Miguel de Cervantes, author of Don Quixote. So, we'll structure our visit partly around his literary biography, visiting his home (now a museum) and also the Corral de Comedias, the earliest surviving theater in Spain and a contemporary to the famous Globe (now destroyed) in London. As we visit the backstage areas and the original opera boxes, we'll discuss the importance of literature in the history of Alcalá de Henares and Spain in general.
Our walk will also take us down Libreros street,
so-called after the many booksellers and printers
which set up their flourishing businesses here, in the shadows of the Universidad Complutense,
one of Europe's oldest and most prestigious universities, founded in 1499. As we meander through this attractive, quiet quarter and then onto the campus of the university, we'll discuss some of the intellectual milestones that have occurred here, such as the writing of the Complutensian Polyglot Bible, a mammoth work of translation delivered in Latin, Greek, Chaldean and Hebrew. As we approach the University main building, we will be able to see some of the oldest residential colleges for students, which
include one founded as early as 1551.
Alcalá de Henares is now a UNESCO World Heritage site, notable as one of the earliest planned university towns in the world. As we wander the campus and surrounding cityscape, including the stunning 17th century Calle Mayor (the longest porticoed street in Spain), we'll consider the importance of architecture and planning to the artistic and cultural history of the city.
