Photos: Cassowary Colorizations, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 Diego Delso, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net)., Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo credits
Photos: Cassowary Colorizations, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 Diego Delso, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net)., Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Madrid under siege: Civil War walk
Your local guide
Carmen Iglesias
View profile
Highlights
- The Cuartel de la Montaña, stormed in July 1936
- Parque del Oeste and the line of the front
- Shrapnel marks still on buildings in Argüelles
- The University City battlefield
- Period photographs and maps, held against the view
About this tour
This session walks the front line that ran through western Madrid during the Civil War, from the site of the Cuartel de la Montaña to Parque del Oeste and University City. You see shrapnel marks still on buildings in Argüelles and a campus that was once a battlefield. It is a war fought inside a capital city, traced street by street.
The guide opens with a sound check, then walks the old front line stop by stop, holding up period photographs and maps against the current view. Questions come in as the walk goes, and a short list of the sites follows by message afterwards.
This suits anyone interested in twentieth-century history told on the ground where it happened. It also suits viewers who have visited these streets without knowing what took place there.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 7 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Madrid before heading out.
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Site of the Cuartel de la Montaña 21 min
The camera stands where the Cuartel de la Montaña once stood, stormed by Madrid's defenders in July 1936. The guide uses a period photograph to show what the barracks looked like before it was destroyed.
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Parque del Oeste and Argüelles 21 min
Walking into Parque del Oeste, the guide traces the line the front held through the park during the siege. Nearby in Argüelles, he points out shrapnel marks still visible on the walls of surviving buildings.
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University City battlefield 21 min
The camera reaches University City, fought over for most of the war despite sitting inside the city limits. The guide lays a period map over the modern campus to show where the lines actually ran.
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Your questions 14 min
Time to ask anything about Madrid: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 6 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Bocadillo de calamares and Malasaña, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Madrid time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 12 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Madrid, showing you Gran Vía and Mercado de San Miguel live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need to know the history already?
No background needed. The guide explains everything as it comes up.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet; the link comes with your booking. I walk Madrid live with my phone and you ask anything as we go.
Times shown in Madrid time (CET)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Tue 3 Nov · 12 seats left From 24,00 €
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