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A Madrid

explicit, open, the streets and plazas, and other more hidden Madrid, sandwich, that of the passages or urban crossings. Passages of Madrid, the few remaining have, especially one of them, a dark and decadent air, like a wreck. Who knew, once, better times for these passages of Madrid, he gives a little sorry to see them now mired in such a situation of neglect and so I decided to visit and be visited, between nostalgia and affection, an elderly relative and sick, to see how is .

Passages, I read somewhere, were common in many European cities and had to have a unique charm about our ancestors. There was little binding power over long distances with each other, safe from the cold and rain, away from traffic and in turn, may rest happily in sidewalk cafes and enjoy the alluring vision of the shop windows of luxury. Paris, London, Milan, among other cities have competed for best passages and galleries. Madrid, in a tone of imitation, built three or four of which little is 1 memory.

I traveled in this sunny February morning some of these places hidden in a straight line along a path, recommended to the Village curious walkers, ranging from Fuencarral street to the Plaza de Benavente.

The first of these passages I have visited is the "passage", built in 1958, which connects the street with the slide Fuencarral Alta de San Pablo, which recently dedicated a touching story Moncho Alpuente 2. " The passage, gallery ," writes Alpuente- had corners, roundabouts and meticulous interiors with a nod to an emerging urban modernity . " I agree with the writer in memory of establishments business located there, (my father, a merchant, came to be there for a short time a small shop selling cars, saddles or strollers for children), especially " of echoes from the busy holidays Hogar Canario" parties whose Sunday best, in which "came together the prettiest girl living in Madrid " I got to go sometime, but without much success. Indeed, in this Hogar Canario de Madrid was edited as interesting as a modest publication, entitled "Omnibus Galdosian " dedicated to the dissemination of studies on the great writer canary Madrid's birth and adoption.

Fuencarral Passage

Fuencarral Passage. Decoration

walker currently feel a certain fear and inconvenience to go through this long and winding passage, occupied only by a single trade of jewelry and thinks that, despite his rapidly deteriorating, it would be very difficult to get your comprehensive rehabilitation, something that Malasaña neighbors and locals generally appreciate.

Fuencarral Walking down the street and across the Gran Via, we imagine Montera Street, in the heart of Madrid Gulf current. Here we find the oldest and most interesting passage of all those who remain: the passage of Trade, also known as Thompson, by the name of the owner of the houses that was built back in 1847. Not bad, by the way, remember that Montera Street, during the nineteenth century was a major of Madrid by the profusion of shops and entertainment in transit, while walking in a good tone for the "smart ". Peter wrote 3 repid towards the end of the twenties of last century that the dedication of the street trade was so absolute "no longer are just the shops and those devoted to the mezzanine, but there are whole houses whose balconies to the top, hold samples of various sites criers "eateries, cafes, guest houses, shops colonial Watches ...

At this time, and the same source, the passage of Trade had already " a curious and painful aspect of age." At the entrance and from time confirmed, had a job of old books and old sheet music (we met), and inside with discretion, "writes the chronicler," diverse range of shops and offices on floors exercised house of passage, where it could be more of a romantic theme . "

Trade Passage

Now the passage of Trade or Murga, used in recent years as urban setting for the filming of movies and "pilinguis" (remember the scene with Massiel in " happy life" , Fernando Colomo, 1987), has a mysterious peaceful aspect contributing to business establishments as discrete buy gold, mobile phone or articles for "spies .
At the same
Montera Street, but on the opposite side there is another more modern passage of 1967, which connects the streets of Montera and Customs. Unlike his neighbor is a very busy passage because it harbors variety of shops of all kinds, from the sale of machinery, tools and "supplies for jewelry and gemology" to the more "daring" of "piercing" and "sex shop" , along with other more "traditional" clothing, watches, food, and a portal for office.

Pasaje de Montera, 24

Crossing from one side to the Puerta del Sol, worthy one day more than one entry, go up Carretas Street pedestrian, which may still be curious shops very different nature. In the final section we find the last of the passages we visit today and connects the artery and Peace Street. Carretas East is a very peculiar passage, beside the usual business of buying gold, as advertised in the area, home to very traditional shops selling watches and repair, spare parts for watches and jewelry, gift items, religious prints frames and moldings, all of which form a kind of discreet commercial souk, clean and cared for, in the heart of Madrid.

Passage Carretas

Madrid I encourage walkers to know these hidden places, survivors of other times that everyone, but especially the City and property owners, we should learn to conserve and protect .

© Manuel Martínez Bargueño

February 2011 NOTES



1. By 1846 they began to be built in Madrid, in imitation of Paris, the first passages that used to communication between two streets opposite portals. They were " elegant and well decorated passages "Like the Iris, between the Calle de Alcala and the Carrera de San Jerónimo, that of the City of Paris and the Matheu, between the streets of Espoz y Mina and Victoria, and San Felipe Neri in the street now well known (Pedro de repid " The streets of Madrid" . Afrodisio SA Aguado fourth edition, 1981, p 155.)

2. Moncho Alpuente " The" passage . El Pais, February 9 2011.

3. Pedro de repid op.cit. p.430.