All the autonomous communities and regions of Spain have some emblematic monuments that are a living example of the past and origin of the territory. Throughout history, sThere are many towns and communities that have been enriching the culture and shaping the traditions of the Spanish provinces. One of the elements in which it can be observed is in the toponymysince many of the names with which we identify cities today have a origin dating back to the CeltsArabs or Romans. The same thing happens in Madrid and the term by which the capital was known.
What was the city of Madrid called before?
To discover the origins of the toponymy of the capital of Spain, we must go back to the Arab past of the city. The name with which the city was identified at this time was ‘Magerit’, which meant ‘land rich in water’. This term was born in the plateau enclave near the Guadarrama mountain range, a place that King Philip II selected to establish his court. From this moment on, Madrid grew little by little until it became the vibrant municipality it is today.
The first known historical evidence of the city was in the year 865 thanks to the construction of a citadel by the emir Muhammed I. Taking into account the meaning of ‘Magerit’, it is not surprising that the first official motto of the municipality spoke of water: “I was built on water. My walls of fire are “This is my insignia and my coat of arms.”
The municipal area It was linked to Arab culture until the year 1083 with the conquest of Alfonso VI of Castile. However, there are some emblematic monuments that remained present for a time and were examples of the original ‘Magerit’. One of them was located on Calle Mayor itself, where a mosque was established. Although the Church of Santa MarÃa was later built on this space, some of its original elements can still be seen.