Alcalá de Henares, founded by the Romans some 2000 years ago, currently has a population of approximately 200,000 inhabitants. The history of Alcalá is one rich in the fields of religion, politics, and literature. Birthplace of Cervantes and Catherine of Aragon, and home to the meeting between Christopher Columbus and the Catholic Kings Ferdinand and Isabel which made possible the exploration of the New World, Alcalá has been a vital city for both the Roman and the Arab civilizations (Al- Qalat means “the fortress/ the castle” in Arabic), a cultural focal point during the Spanish Golden Age, and seat of the University of Cisneros.
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The city of Alcalá is located just 30 km. (18 miles) from Madrid and 20 km. (12 miles) from Madrid-Barajas International Airport. Alcalá’s close proximity to Madrid allows its residents to enjoy all of the advantages in terms of cultural activities, restaurants, and public transportation that the Spanish capital offers, while at the same time retaining a slower, more familiar way of life than that normally found in a large city.
The Universidad de Alcalá
The Universidad de Alcalá is one of the oldest in Europe, and was founded in 1499 by Cardenal Cisneros. Currently, the Universidad de Alcalá serves as a strong attraction for international students from all over the world, making Alcalá one of Spain’s most multinational and dynamic cities.
The Festival de Cine (Film Festival)
Our city enjoys a rich, full cultural life, and is home to annual celebrations in the fields of gastronomy, medieval culture and history, music, theatre, and film. The Festival de Cine (Film Festival), held each November, has become one of the most important film festivals in Spain, particularly in the area of short films. During the film festival new films are presented for the first time, allowing local artists/ filmmakers the chance to exhibit their work, and old favourites are shown in various cinemas around the city. The Festival de Cine, readily accessible to everyone, makes possible an ideal meeting between spectator and artist, and is an event not to be missed!
Semana Cervantina
Each year, during the first two weeks of October, the city of Alcalá celebrates the largest outdoor medieval festival in all of Europe, designed to coincide with the celebration of the birthday of Miguel de Cervantes, author of El Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quixote de La Mancha. During the Semana Cervantina, the historic center of Alcalá transforms into a medieval village, with parades, acrobats and jugglers, magicians, and artisans from all over Europe. Alcalá´s most popular restaurants and bars set up tents in order to offer market-goers the chance to savour their respective specialties.
Premio Cervantes
Each year on April 23 the Premio Cervantes is awarded to an outstanding author in Spanish-language literature. King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía present this award in a ceremony which takes place within the historic Paraninfo de Universidad de Alcalá, an event attended by the Minister of Culture and members of the Real Academia Española. The Premio Cervantes is the most prestigious award in the field of Spanish-language literature, and is commonly known as the “Nobel Prize of Spanish- language literature”.
Madrid
Alcalá de Henares is located just 30 km from Madrid, a dynamic, cosmopolitan European capital of some 5,000,000 inhabitants. Madrid is home to numerous festivals in the areas of theatre, cinema, music, and gastronomy. No less important are Madrid’s museums, among them the Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, a museum of Contemporary Art which houses Picasso’s Guernica, and the Museo Nacional Museo del Prado, which boasts more than 8,700 paintings, including masterpieces of Goya, Velázquez, and El Greco.
Madrid is easily accessible from Alcalá, either by bus or by train. For those wishing to try a taste of the insurmountable marcha madrileña (nightlife), 24-hour bus service is also available.
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