Alcala de Henares location, history and culture
Alcala de Henares is a picturesque Castilian city from the Spanish inland that is located in the Community of Madrid, east of the capital of Spain. It has a privileged location, only 30 minutes from Madrid, with which it is linked by a direct railway line that connects with Madrid’s underground network. As a result, communications with the main airports in the world are excellent, as it is within easy access of Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas International Airport. A real advantage for the students who want to learn Spanish at our school in Alcala de Henares.
With a population of around 200.000 people, Alcala de Henares is a quiet and safe town with a typical Castilian appearance. However, it is also a dynamic city with many of things to do, as it has one of the oldest and most reputable universities in Spain, the University of Alcala, home to many students from all corners of Spain and the world. Founded in 1293 and led by the famous Cardinal Cisneros in 1499, this university has become an academic centre of reference and an example for other universities. Here is where some of the most distinguished writers of the “Spanish Golden Age” have studied, such as Antonio de Nebrija, Saint John of the Cross, Francisco de Quevedo, Pedro Calderón de la Barca and Lope de Vega.
Alcala de Henares is famous for being the first “City of Knowledge” in the world and one of the cradles of the Spanish literature, which makes it a perfect destination to learn Spanish. It is the birthplace of Don Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, greatest figure of the Spanish literature and author of the universally known and immortal work Don Quixote, the most edited and translated book in history after the Bible. The whole city has become a tribute museum to this illustrious figure, through numerous buildings and exhibitions including the house where he has supposedly lived during his childhood, the baptismal font where he was baptised and a magnificent Cervantine bibliographic collection.
However, Alcala de Henares offers much more than a journey through Don Miguel de Cervantes’ life. If there is anything that stands out in the city, is the huge historical and cultural heritage preserved, which makes it a very beautiful city that earned it the declaration of World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1998.
Strolling through the streets of Alcala de Henares and visiting its many buildings and museums, is a trip back in time through the most important civilizations that passed through the Iberian Peninsula and have shaped our history to turn the country into the Spain we know today day. Ancient Roman sites, buildings of the old Jewish quarter, remains of the Muslim occupation and a vast religious heritage, which includes monasteries, convents and Catholic churches, delight visitors in a unique tour that will not leave culture and history lovers indifferent.
Among its valuable buildings some of them stand out, such as the Archbishop’s Palace, where the Catholic Monarchs met with Christopher Columbus for the first time to set the agreement that would lead to the famous Conquest of America; the Magisterial Cathedral of Alcala de Henares, unique in its kind along with the church of Saint Peter’s Church in Leuven (Belgium); the Colegio Mayor de San Ildefonso, in which the current pope Francisco studied; the Cervantes Birthplace Museum, a nice example of a wealthy house of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries; the Islamic military fortress of Al-Qalat, dating from the tenth century and which names the city; or the House of Hippolytus, one of the most prominent buildings of the Roman settlement of Complutum.
Alcala de Henares is a city that greatly promotes culture, for both its inhabitants and visitors. The city is home to many art exhibitions, theatre performances, competitions and festivals like Alcine, the International Short Film Festival.
Sport lovers will also find their place in Alcala de Henares, as the city has many facilities for physical exercise. Swimming, athletics, tennis, football, basketball, paddle tennis… a wide range of sports is waiting for our most active Spanish students.
Shopaholics will also find their place in Alcala de Henares, since the city has several shopping centres and department stores, as well as various shopping areas where you can go shopping while taking a pleasant stroll through his beautiful streets. Not to mention the ease of communication with the Spanish capital, Madrid, where hundreds of shops are waiting for our students.
Whatever your tastes are, if you choose Alcala de Henares for your Spanish course, we are sure it will captivate you.
