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La Latina is an informal neighborhood enclosed within the barrio of Palacio in the historic center of Madrid. It’s a popular place to explore.
Introduction to La Latina
La Latina occupies the oldest part of the city in the area that was once within the city walls of the Muslim citadel. It’s named after Beatriz Galindo (c. 1465-1535), who was a writer and also the teacher of Queen Isabel I. She was famous for her command of the Latin language, earning the nickname “La Latina”.
To get to La Latina, you can take the metro to either La Latina or Puerta de Toledo, which are both on Line 5. You can also walk south from the Royal Palace or Almudena Cathedral and cross the Segovia Viaduct into the neighborhood.
Segovia Viaduct
The Segovia Viaduct (Viaducto de Segovia) spans a deep ravine separating La Latina from the rest of Palacio. In the Middle Ages, people had to walk down the ravine and back up the other side in order to go from La Latina to the Royal Palace. The first bridge opened on October 13, 1874 and was replaced by the current bridge in 1934. It was heavily damaged in the Siege of Madrid during the Spanish Civil War, restored to its original specifications, and reopened on March 28, 1942. The bridge was refurbished and modernized from 1977 to 1978. You can get a good look at the bridge by walking down Calle de Caños Viejos from Plaza de la Morería to a small viewing area.
Moorish Quarter in La Latina
The Moorish Quarter (La Morería) was the Muslim quarter of Madrid after the Christians took the city in 1083. Although there’s nothing left from that period, t’s a pleasant place to walk with narrow streets and nice buildings. I walked down Calle de la Morería and through Plaza de la Morería.
Plaza de la Paja
Nearby is Plaza de la Paja. It was the city’s main market from the 13th through 19th century, although it went into decline in the 15th century. The plaza was surrounded by the homes of several noble families. Today, it’s surrounded by some restaurants with outdoor seating as well as a few historic buildings.
Garden of the Prince of Anglona
On the north side of the plaza is the Garden of the Prince of Anglona (Jardín del Príncipe de Anglona). This pleasant green space was designed by Nicolás Chalmandrier in 1761 and restored in the beginning of the 20th century. It occupies an area of about 500 square meters and retains its original layout and brick paths. The garden opened to the public in 2002.
The garden was associated with a palace built in the early 16th century for Francisco de Vargas (c. 1453-1524), a counselor to Charles V (Carlos I), Holy Roman Emperor. The property passed on to the heirs of counselor Álvaro de Benavides (c. 1560-1613) and was completely renovated in 1802. In the 18th century, it was the home of Pedro de Alcántara Téllez Girón (1786-1851), a Spanish military officer better known as the Prince of Anglona, which gives the garden its name.
Bishop’s Chapel
On the south end of the plaza is the Bishop’s Chapel (Capilla del Obispo), officially the Chapel of Our Lady and Saint John the Lateran (Capilla de Nuestra Señora y de San Juan de Letrán). The Bishop’s Chapel was commissioned by Francisco de Vargas and built between 1520 and 1535 to hold the remains of San Isidro Labrador (St. Isidore the Laborer), the patron saint of Madrid. His remains were moved to the adjacent Church of San Andrés in 1544 after only 9 years. The chapel is attached to the Vargas Palace (Palacio de los Vargas), which was built in the 15th century as a private residence for the powerful Vargas family. It later served as a theatre and office building.
Church of San Pedro el Viejo
East of Plaza de la Paja is the Church of San Pedro el Viejo (Iglesia de San Pedro el Viejo). It was originally built in the 14th century and features a Mudéjar bell tower that resembles a minaret. It stands 30 meters high. Usually closed to the public, the church holds the remains of kings Alfonso I of Asturias (693-757) and Ramiro II of León (900-951).
Church of San Andrés
Just south of Plaza de la Paja at Plaza de los Carros is the Church of San Andrés (Iglesia de San Andrés). The Baroque structure was built between 1642 and 1669 using the ruins of the previous church that stood on the site, which in turn stood on the former site of a mosque. If it’s open, it’s well worth popping inside for a look. The interior is stunning. Photography is forbidden inside.
The original church was the parish church of San Isidro Labrador and his wife, María Torribia (d. 1175), also known as Santa María de la Cabeza. A chapel was built in 1657 on the site of the saint’s house, and is now part of the San Isidro Museum. The Church of San Andrés held the remains of both saints after being transferred there from the Bishop’s Chapel. They were relocated to the Collegiate Church of San Isidro in 1769.
San Isidro Museum
The San Isidro Museum (Museo de San Isidro) sits next to the Church of San Andrés. At first mention, it sounds like a museum about the life of San Isidro Labrador, but the name is really quite misleading. In reality, the majority of the museum contains excellent exhibits on the origins and early history of Madrid. It’s open daily except Mondays and admission is free (as of August 2024).
The first exhibits of the museum focus on prehistoric Madrid and move onto the Roman period. Among some of the artifacts are mammoth tusks and other bones, a Roman mosaic unearthed at a villa, and other interesting Roman artifacts.
Next is Muslim Madrid, which was called Mayrit. It lasted from 711 to 1083. There are several pieces of pottery and other items as well as a model of a typical home from this period.
One of the most interesting pieces on display is a scale model of Madrid in 1656, based on an original map by Portuguese cartographer Pedro Teixeira Albernaz (1595-1662).
Moving through history into the Castillian period, I admired the cenotaphs of Francisco Ramírez (d. 1501) and Beatriz Galindo (1465-1534). Ramírez was an artillery officer and secretary to Fernando II de Aragón. He died during a Moorish uprising in Lanjarón in 1501. Galindo was Ramírez’s second wife. She was a writer and also the teacher of Queen Isabella I, and the La Latina neighborhood is named for her.
San Isidro Labrador Exhibit
The rest of the museum focuses on San Isidro Labrador and his wife, Santa María de la Cabeza. First is a well used by the saint where miracles were said to be performed.
Next is the chapel built in 1657 on the actual spot where the two saints lived in a small two room house owned by their master, Juan de Vargas. San Isidro also died there in 1172. The beautiful frescoes were painted between 1783 and 1789 by Zacarías González Velázquez (1763-1834).
Finally, I took a quick walk through the patio, which contains a fountain in the center and some ornaments carved from stone. Overall, I really enjoyed my visit to the museum. I learned a lot about the early history of Madrid and was impressed by many of the artifacts on display.
Tapas Streets in La Latina
La Latina is known as one of the best places in the historic center of Madrid for tapas. East of the San Isidro Museum are Calle Cava Alta and Calle Cava Baja, two streets filled with plenty of tapas bars. They’ll definitely satisfy your appetite. The more scenic of the two is Calle Cava Baja, which also has several more establishments. If you take a tapas tour, there’s no doubt you’ll visit one or two places on these streets.
Collegiate Church of San Isidro
Exiting the tapas streets and around the corner on Calle de Toledo is the Collegiate Church of San Isidro (Colegiata de San Isidro el Real). It was designed by architect Pedro Sánchez in 1620. Work started in 1622 and it was completed in 1664. The consecration took place on September 23, 1651. The church was originally dedicated to St. Xavier and administered by the Jesuits until their expulsion in 1767.
In 1769, the church was rededicated to San Isidro Labrador (St. Isidore the Laborer), the patron saint of Madrid, and his remains were moved there. The church also holds the remains of his wife, María Torribia (d. 1175), also known as Santa María de la Cabeza. Their remains were originally held in the Bishop’s Chapel and later the Church of San Andrés, both a short walk away.
La Latina Theatre
The La Latina Theatre (Teatro La Latina) sits a couple blocks south near the La Latina metro station. It opened in 1919 and has a capacity of 927 people. It has been one of the most important theatres in Spain, especially for comedy productions. The building was designed by Pedro Muguruza (1893-1952).
Cebada Market
Across the street to the west is the Cebada Market (Mercado de la Cebada). It’s one of the largest food markets in the historic center of Madrid and dates back to the 16th century. The original market consisted of outdoor stalls until a building designed by Mariano Calvo y Pereira (1815-1884) was constructed in 1868. It was one of the city’s most important markets, but it had to be demolished in 1956 due to problems with hygiene. It was rebuilt in 1958 and now serves as a neighborhood market.
Inside the building are several stalls selling fruits and vegetables, fresh fish, meats, cheeses, and other delicious goods. There’s a nice mural of Madrid on the second level behind the lifts. It was painted by Carlos Rincón in 1962.
La Fuentecilla
Walking south from the market down Calle de Toledo, you’ll pass a fountain that’s doubles as a monument to Fernando VII (1784-1833), who was twice king of Spain. It’s known as La Fuentecilla and was built between 1814 and 1816 to commemorate the return of the king from his exile in France. It was designed by Alfonso Rodríguez y Gutiérrez.
Puerta de Toledo
Finally, at the end of the street is a roundabout with the Puerta de Toledo in the center. This was one of 19 city gates on the Walls of Felipe IV. It was built between 1812 and 1827.
