Alcala de Henares Attractions
The old town of Alcalá de Henares, rebuilt after severe destruction during the Civil War, lies some 30km/20mi east of Madrid on the left bank of the Río Henares. It was the Roman Complutum and the Moorish al-Kal'a.
History
The town was the birthplace of Cervantes and the Emperor Ferdinand I. It had a famous university, founded by Cardinal Jiménez de Cisneros in 1498, where the first polyglot Bible in Europe was published in 1517. The university was moved to Madrid in 1836, and thereafter the town lost much of its importance. Alcalá de Henares suffered severe devastation during the Civil War.
History
The town was the birthplace of Cervantes and the Emperor Ferdinand I. It had a famous university, founded by Cardinal Jiménez de Cisneros in 1498, where the first polyglot Bible in Europe was published in 1517. The university was moved to Madrid in 1836, and thereafter the town lost much of its importance. Alcalá de Henares suffered severe devastation during the Civil War.
Tomb of Cardinal Cisneros
Adjoining the University is the church of San Ildefonso, the finest thing in which is the early 16th century tomb of Cardinal Cisneros (by Domenico Fancelli and Bartolomé Ordóñez).
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Colegios
Within Alcalá de Henares are other buildings belonging to the University, notably the Colegio de Málaga, with fine brick masonry and beautiful inner courtyards.
Museo Casa de Cervantes
From the Colegio de San Ildefonso the Calle Mayor runs west to the Plaza del Palacio. On the way there, on right, is the Museo Casa de Cervantes. This is not the writer's actual birthplace but a 20th century reproduction of a 16th century house built on what is believed to be the site of the house in which he was born. The house, furnished in the style of the period, contains mementos of the author of "Don Quixote".
Nuevo Baztan, Spain
(Near Alcala de Henares)
About 15km to the southeast of Alcalá de Henares lies Nuevo Baztán, which was built between 1709 and 1713 as a manufacturing base for the ceramic and glass industries. Commissioned by Juan de Goyeneche to plans by the famous architect José Churriguero, the town has a castle, parade-ground, market-square and a parish church dedicated to San Francisco Javier. Churriguero himself designed the altarpiece in the church.
