Madrid is the capital of Spain, Community of Madrid and the homonymous province. Also known as La Villa and the Court, it is the largest and most populous city in the country, with 3,232,463 people within its municipality and 6,043,031 in its metropolitan area, making it the third most populated urban area of the European Union .

As the state capital Madrid hosts the headquarters of the Government, Spanish Parliament, ministries, institutions and agencies, as well as the official residence of the royals of Spain. At an economic level, Madrid is a major financial and industrial center.

Madrid is an influential cultural center whose museums of international acclaim include the Prado Museum, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum and the Reina Sofia Museum.

Born from the fortified settlement of hispanic-muslim Mayrit or Magrit, conquered by Alfonso VI of Castille in 1083, the town was designated in 1561 as the seat of the court of Philip II, the first permanent capital of the Spanish monarchy. Since then, Madrid has been the Spanish capital and seat of government of the nation.

With the conquest by the Christians in the eleventh century, suburbs or neighborhoods became the outskirts of the city known as the Morería. There was also a Jewish quarter that would later become the neighborhood of Lavapies.

Due to the rich architecture of Madrid, several monuments have become a symbol of the city: from the Puerta de Alcalá, the Plaza Mayor or  the Puerta del Sol to the Retiro Park or the Cibeles Fountain.

In 2006 Madrid was the fourth most visited city in Europe and the first in Spain hosting nearly seven million tourists.