Madrid

Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million in the
survey of December 2009. The entire population of the metropolitan area (urban area and suburbs)
is calculated to be about 6,400,000. It is the third-most populous in the European Union after Paris
and London.

Puerta de Alcala in Madrid


Puerta de Alcala stands at Plaza de la Independencia in Madrid. The original Puerta de Alcala, which
stood nearby, was built in 1599 as a welcome gesture to dona Margarita de Austria, who was the
wife of King Felipe III. The gate has a large central semicircular topped arch, flanked by two similar
arches.


Museo del Prado


The Museo del Prado is a museum and art gallery located in Madrid, the capital of Spain. It features one of
the world's finest collections of European art, from the 12th century to the early 19th century, based on
the former Spanish Royal Collection. It founded as a museum of paintings and sculpture, it also contains
important collections of more than 5,000 drawings, 2,000 prints, 1,000 coins and medals, and almost
2,000 decorative objects and works of art.El Prado is one of the most visited sites in Madrid, and it is
considered to be among the greatest museums of art in the world.

Works of art ( Museo del Prado )


(L) The immaculate Conception of the Venerable Ones (R) La Anunciacion 1430-1432, de Fra Angelico ( Museo del Prado )

(L) La Maja Desnuda (R) Charles �W of Spain and His Family ( Museo del Prado )

(L) The Third of May, the great picture which can be called revolutionary in every sense of the world, in style, in subject,
and intention.　(R) The Surrender of Breda ( Museo del Prado )

(L) The Nobleman with his Hand on his Chest ( Museo del Prado )
(M) Rich in green along the Paseo del Prado, the main boulevard in Madrid
(R) A toll toilet (WC) on the Paseo del Prado, one of the main boulevards in Madrid
The road extends north to south from the Plaza de Cibeles to the Plaza de Atocha.


The Museo del Prado is a museum and art gallery located in Madrid, the capital of Spain. It features one
of the world's finest collections of European art, from the 12th century to the early 19th century, based
on the former Spanish Royal Collection.


Exterior and the corridor of Palacio Real Madrid

(L) The south front of the Palacio Real Madrid embraces the Plaza de Armas with low ranges.
(R) A peaceful view from the Royal Palace
Photographed in May, 2010.


The Palacio Real de Madrid ( Royal Palace of Madrid ), also known as the Palacio de Oriente(The East Palace),
is the official residence of the King of Spain in the city of Madrid, and it is only used for State Ceremonies.
However, King Juan Carlos and the Royal Family do not reside in it, choosing instead the more modest
Palacio de la Zarzuela on the outskirts of Madrid. The palace is owned by the Spanish State and administered
by a public agency of the Ministry of the Presidency. The palace is located in the Western part of downtown
Madrid,and at the area in the eastern part of Manzanares River, and is accessible by the Opera metro station.


(L) Four tower business park (R) Madrid taxi


Cuatro Torres Business Area (CTBA) ( Four Towers Business Area) is a business park located near the Estacion
de Chamartin, Madrid. These are the tallest skyscrapers in Spain. The construction of the building of Torre
Espacio (224m) was completed in 2007, Torre de Cristal (249m) and Torre Sacyr Vallehermoso (236) in 2008,
and Torre Caja Madrid (250m) in 2009.
Source:Wikipedia


(L) Madrid Atocha railway station (R) Madrid Metro Aeropuerto station plateform
A passenger has to change a train at the Nuevos Ministerios, downtown station, for a further railway trip.

A porch of the Madrid Barajas airport terminal T4
All taxis in the Madrid city have a vivid red diagonal line on the white body.

(L) A rental car office at the lower level floor at the Madrid Barajas airport
(M) Unique scriptures in the T4 Terminal building (R) A cafeteria in the Terminal 4

(L) Termonal 4 check-in hall (R) Iberia Airline aircraft is now taxiing on the Madrid Barajas airport apron

The four-tower business district of Madrid is in far distance. A view from the aircraft heading to Amsterdam, Netherlands
Photographed in May, 2010.


マドリードはスペインの行政の中心地（首都）であり、イベリア半島の経済の中心地の1つである。マドリード首都圏
（Madrid Metropolitan Area）の人口は640万人に上り、ロンドン、パリに次ぐ。また、欧州の首都の中では最も
標高が高い。スペインの鉄道標識、飲食店標識などすべてスペイン語であり、英語を理解できる人はホテルのフロント
受付などを除き、ほとんどいない。教育の場で英語を全く無視して来た結果と思う。

空の玄関、マドリード・バラハス国際空港は市内の北東12kmの位置にあり、地下鉄で結ばれている。ヨーロッパや
南北アメリカ各国からの便が多数就航しているが、現在日本からの直行便はない。 ターミナルは4つあり、行先に
よって使い分けられている。T4が最も新しく建設された建物であり、以前から使用されているT1, T2, T3とは、ここ
が同じく空港であると信じがたいほどの格段の差がある。新しく開通した地下鉄の始発駅はT4ターミナルにあり、
その二駅先にT1,T2,T3ターミナルにアクセスする駅がある。空港線の地下鉄は市内のヌエボス・ミニステリオス
( Nuevos Ministerios )で他の地下鉄に乗り換えねばならない。この空港線は頻繁に運転しており、新型電車を使用して
いる。快適であり、よほど荷物が重くない限り地下鉄の利用が経済的である。

マドリット地下鉄の使用者は年間、6億人であるという。筆者は地下鉄標識の矢印が本来、斜め下を指すべき箇所で
横を指しているのをいくつか目にしている。標識通りに行くと同じ駅の中を何度も空回りせねばならないことが
あった。多くの観光客が大きな国の財源となった今、英文表示を加え、早急に改善が必要だろう。マドリットの
地下鉄のホームなどには治安維持のための警察犬が配備されているが、日本人を狙うスリが多いのでこの点について
も留意が必要である。マドリットのスペイン鉄道（Renfe）の主な駅としては、南部にアトーチャ駅、北部に
チャマルティン駅がある。セビリアやバルセロナ、トレドを結ぶ高速鉄道 (AVE)の発着駅となっている。


　Introduction of Spain: The first Spain's law to restrict smoking enforced in 2006.
　 Spain enforced a total smoking ban in indoor public space in 2011.

Spain 2006-2011
Madrid tour Barcelona tour Gaudi's masterpiece Barcelona metro and railway Segovia　
High-speed train in Spain　 Smoking ban in Spain in 2010　


スペインの首都、マドリット
2010年5月執筆　医学博士　宮本順伯
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This information was provided by the Smokefree Hotel and Travel.
The photographs were taken and the article was written in May 2010,
by Junhaku Miyamoto, M.D., PhD.
Copyright (C) 2010 Junhaku Miyamoto, All rights reserved.