Madrid: Difference between revisions

Madrid often loses out to Barcelona for “Spanish” locals-even though Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia, which is a region that is quite proud of its distinct culture and language. International audiences tend to be more familiar with Barcelona because it is a major tourist destination on the Mediterranean. There is a national joke that while Madrid has the nation’s finest museums, the seat of government, and a lively nightlife, it has no beach-but Barcelona does! Madrid also isn't very photogenic compared to Barcelona. Barcelona could be described as decadent (the presence of a certain Antonio Gaudí helped to make sure of that) while Madrid is utilitarian. For example, Barcelona very nearly constructed the Eiffel Tower, and eventually built the [http://en.[wikipedia.org/wiki/Torre_Agbar:Torre Agbar|Torre Agbar.]] Until recently, Madrid's tallest building was the [http://en.[wikipedia.org/wiki/Torre_Picasso:Torre Picasso|Torre Picasso.]] The Spanish government, noticing this, funded a construction boom that has added a new [http://en.[wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuatro_Torres_Business_Area:Cuatro Torres Business Area|quartet of skyscrapers]] and a modern [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Campus_de_la_Justicia_de_Madrid courthouse complex.] Only time will tell if it garners more international recognition in the media.