The plan to rescue the (forgotten) wall of Madrid: "There are sections that require detective work"

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Yesterday the wind penetrated with fury through the hiding places of the Emir Mohamed I park. The claws of the Fien storm relentlessly scratched the remains of that Islamic wall (9th century) that survives as best it can over time.

From that Mayrit that germinated 12 centuries ago, to this Madrid that keeps unsuspected remains of its deepest history in drawers.

The Almudena Cathedral averts the gaze, despite the fact that at its feet there remains a section of 120 meters in length (2.60 in thickness and 11.50 in maximum height) of that walled enclosure built during the Andalusian rule.

Flint and limestone ashlars, interspersed with bricks from more modern constructions.

Some of these remains even sleep camouflaged between adjoining buildings.

The air, despite its impetus, is unable to enter Calle Escalinata, which lowers its gaze before the size of the Teatro Real.

A few meters away, over a collection of inopportune graffiti, remains of the wall appear again in that deep still life of Madrid as always.

Just like in that wink at number 14 Espejo street.

The walls became Christian from the 12th century, serving as a parapet against incursions by Almoravid and Almohad armies, with its nearly 100 towers.

Two cultures intertwined with ashlars that in other days basted together a fortress.

For this reason, just a week ago the City Council approved a special plan for the protection of the wall in the Governing Board.

An initiative of the Urban Development Area directed by

aimed at highlighting the remains of those first heartbeats of the city.

"Madrid settles a debt with its walls: the Arab and the Christian ones," argues

, General Director of Planning.

“It has been necessary to reconsider everything to protect the found remains.

The wall has been an Asset of Cultural Interest since 1954, but economic investment has always been lacking.

Remains of the wall of Madrid, in Escalinata street.ANTONIO HEREDIAMUNDO

€9.5 million

And it is that by decree of January 15, 1954, the Ministry of National Education declared those remains of the old wall a historical-artistic monument.

"The archaeological importance of this monument is very great, since Madrid is not overflowing with clear memories of its history and it can be said that it lacks those of medieval times," they argued almost seven decades ago.

In 1997, the General Urban Planning Plan would arrive, with an area of ​​25,748.19 m2.

And now, in 2023, a further step is taken and the protection area is expanded to 300,873.50 m2, in areas where its presence has historically been documented.

To make the canvases of these walls known to the public, which are the purest DNA of the city.

«Now there will be a regulation on these soils that lacked a regulation.

Green areas for an amount of

will be protected to respect and observe the wall from gardens, "continues Javier Hernández.

"It is about visiting it and having the feeling of a wall again," he abounds.

There will be green areas with an area of ​​3,400 square meters and an Interpretation Center on Espejo street designed to give the project more perspective.

Remains of the wall of Madrid. ANTONIO HEREDIAMUNDO

But if the wall is one of the great treasures of Madrid, why this forgetfulness?

«Madrid has had a problem since the end of the 15th century and with the arrival of the Habsburgs.

Felipe II turns it into a prestigious space within the crown and installs the capital here.

The wall ends up becoming a corset and gets in the way.

They wanted to make a modern city, changing the façade so that it looked more like a palace and not a castle.

So, the wall was superfluous”,

, professor at the CEU San Pablo University and author of the book Madrid.

Genesis and evolution of the 12th century wall.

"The city ceased to have a military sense and, despite the fact that it is prevented from building next to the wall, there comes a time when that stops happening," he points out.

"A Poisoned Gift"

"The capital was a poisoned gift, and between speculation, confiscations or the Napoleonic invasion, medieval Madrid was lost," says

, professor of History and author of the book My walls of fire are, which has been published for more than one decade teaching the city with guided tours.

«There are sections of the wall that require detective work to be found.

There is nowhere to go to see the wall, unless you know where to go and interpret the remains, “says the expert.

«Releasing the wall would be reversing history.

Madrid is a city founded by Islam, of a new plant.

The Almudayna was excavated in its entirety and no Roman or Visigothic remains have been found.

Those walls that still live are the first remains of the capital”, continues Malalana, who underlines what is hidden under number 12 of Calle Bailén: “It is the most important thing because it certifies the foundation of Madrid.

For many years it was a place for homeless people, a scary area with smells of urine.

The municipal plan, which is still in the process of public information, includes the segregation of that plot to adapt to the historical layout, recovering the space on the lower floor.

So why has it taken so long?

«Maybe for a mental issue.

In other parts of Spain they like to listen, see and have the history of their heritage explained.

But in Madrid, of course not.

It seems that the history of Spain matters more than that of Madrid itself.

Many people come from abroad and there may be a lack of culture”, sums up Malalana.

"It's not that they don't want to know the story, it's just that it's not made easy for them.

Until now there have been difficulties in following the trail of the wall because the canvases are not indicated at all and some belong to properties belonging to neighboring communities.

To access you have to ring the phone and wait to see them.

And there, in those walls, is the origin of the only European capital founded by the Arabs.

There was a debt with Muslim and Christian Madrid”, adds Juan Cortés.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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