Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain.It is the third-most populous municipality in the European Union after Greater London and Berlin, and its metropolitan area is the fourth-most populous urban area in the European Union after Paris, London, and the Ruhr Area.

The city is located on the river Manzanares in the centre of both the country and the Community of Madrid (which comprises the city of Madrid, its conurbation and extended suburbs and villages); this community is bordered by the autonomous communities of Castile and León and Castile-La Mancha. As the capital city of Spain, seat of government, and residence of the Spanish monarch, Madrid is also the political center of Spain. The current mayor is Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón from the center-right People's Party. He has been in office since 2003, when he left the Presidency of the Autonomous Community of Madrid and stood as the candidate to replace outgoing mayor José María Álvarez del Manzano, also from the PP. In the last local elections of 2007, Ruiz-Gallardón increased the PP majority in the City Council to 34 seats out of 57, taking 55.5% of the popular vote and winning in all but two districts.

Due to its economic output, standard of living, and market size, Madrid is considered the major financial center of the Iberian Peninsula; it hosts the head offices of the vast majority of the major Spanish companies, as well as the headquarters of three of the world's 100 largest companies (Telefónica, Repsol-YPF, Banco Santander).

While Madrid possesses a modern infrastructure, it has preserved the look and feel of many of its historic neighborhoods and streets. Its landmarks include the huge Royal Palace of Madrid; the Teatro Real (Royal theatre) with its restored 1850 Opera House; the Buen Retiro park, founded in 1631; the imposing 19th-century National Library building (founded in 1712) containing some of Spain's historical archives; an archaeological museum of international reputation; and three superb art museums: Prado Museum, which hosts one of the finest art collections in the world, the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, a museum of modern art, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, housed in the renovated Villahermosa Palace.

The population of the city is roughly 3.2 million (as of December 2005), while the estimated urban area population is 5.1 million. The entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area (urban area and suburbs) is calculated to be 5.84 million. The city spans a total of 698 km² (234 sq mi).

Juan Carlos I Park, the city's main park, was named after King Juan Carlos.

•  Plaza Mayor
•  Barrio de La Latina
•  Gran Via
•  Descalzas Reales
•  Casón del Buen Retiro
•  Palacio Real
•  Templo de Debod
•  El Rastro
•  Puerta del Sol
•  Parque del Buen Retiro
•  Las Ventas
•  Torre España
•  Faro de Moncloa
•  Puerta de Europa
•  Puerta de Alcalá
•  Azca
•  Glorieta de Bilbao
•  Estadio Santiago Bernabéu
•  Estadio Vicente Calderón
•  Parque de Atracciones de Madrid
•  Plaza de Cibeles
•  Plaza de Neptuno
•  Palacio De Liria
•  Teatro Real
•  Auditorio Nacional de Musica
•  Teatro Monumental
•  Teatro de la Zarzuela
•  Centro Cultural de la Villa
•  Teatro de la Abadía
•  Círculo de Bellas Artes
•  Teatro Español
•  Teatro de la Comedia
•  Café Central
•  La dehesa de la villa

Other nearby towns are popular as day trips from Madrid, including Toledo, Segovia, San Ildefonso, Ávila, Aranjuez, Alcalá de Henares, the monastery and palace complex of El Escorial, the former summer home of the royal family at Aranjuez, El Atazar Dam, El Pardo and Chinchón.

Bullfighting

Madrid hosts the largest Plaza de Toros (bullring) in Spain, Las Ventas, established in 1929. Las Ventas is considered by many to be the world center of bullfighting and has a seating capacity of almost 25,000. Madrid's bullfighting season begins in March and ends in October. Bullfights are held every day during the festivities of San Isidro (Madrid's patron saint) from the middle of March to the middle of June, and every Sunday, and public holiday, the rest of the season. The style of the plaza is Neomudéjar. Las Ventas also hosts music concerts and other events outside of the bullfighting season.