“En una pensión de esta casa vivió…” These words mark the Benito Pérez Galdós Plaque. It’s more than just a marker. It is a portal into the past.
This plaque commemorates Benito Pérez Galdós’s early days in Madrid. He resided here between 1862 and 1863. The young writer lodged in a boarding house. This house was on Calle de las Fuentes.
Imagine Galdós arriving at Atocha station. It was late September 1862. He came to start his studies. His room was on the second floor. The house was modern. It was romantic and airy.
He shared the lodging with his sister Manuela’s suitor. This suitor already knew Madrid well. Galdós found himself facing life’s grand stage. The cafés of Puerta del Sol beckoned. Vendors filled Plaza Mayor. The wealthy frequented the Royal Theatre. Newspapers, politicians, and socialites teemed. All were within reach of his pen.
He was meant to study Law. But Madrid offered richer lessons. The city became his literary inspiration. It sustained him until his final days.
Ortiz Armengol meticulously described the neighbors. A herbalist occupied one shop. A carpet seller from Crevillente had another. José García lived on the first floor. He worked for the Public Debt office. García, his wife, and a maid likely hosted the three young men from the Canary Islands. These men were León y Castillo, Massieu, and Galdós.
By 1863, the Garcías had moved. A notary took their place. An agent and a military man with five daughters lived on upper floors. The caretaker resided in the attic. From the balconies, one could see the Jesuit convent.
Galdós only lived here for a few months. Yet, this place defined Madrid for him. It seeped into his very being. Years later, he would bring Fortunata to life. She was the unforgettable star of his novel.
Madrid remembers Benito Pérez Galdós a century after his death. He was born in Las Palmas in 1843. He died in Madrid in 1920. He made Madrid the heart of his stories. Though Canarian by birth, he became a true Madrileño. He created his own Madrid in literature. One can trace his steps like Dickens’ London or Joyce’s Dublin.
Galdós arrived in Madrid to study Law at the Universidad Central. But his real school was the streets. Cafés and the Teatro Real shaped him. His autobiographical work revealed this.
His Madrid life unfolded in three settings. There was old Madrid, the bourgeois Salamanca district, and modern Argüelles. He had a panoramic view of Madrid. He captured it in his novels.
The Madrid of Galdós reflects his early discoveries. It includes neighborhoods around Puerta del Sol. It stretches to Puerta de Toledo and San Bernardo. This is the city in “La Desheredada” and “Fortunata y Jacinta”. The latter best captures Madrid.
The Ateneo was another favorite spot. It was then on Calle Montera. Listening to Castelar and Giner de los Ríos opened his mind. Debating with Leopoldo Alas Clarín broadened his perspective.
Nominated for the Nobel Prize in 1912, he frequently visited the Congress. He was also an academic. The Royal Spanish Academy appointed him in 1887. Both places are landmarks in Galdós’s Madrid.
The City Council’s Galdós route includes institutional and personal spots. The Church of Nuestra Señora de las Maravillas is among them. Here, he met his partner, Emilia Pardo Bazán.
Of over sixty cafés, Galdós frequented three. These were the Universal, Fornos, and Iberia cafes. None remain today.
Galdós scrutinized Madrid’s residents from all walks of life. Bourgeoisie, laborers, beggars, clergy, merchants came to life. Fortunata, Jacinta, Torquemada, and Benina are among his characters. Madrid itself is another character. It is the stage for love, betrayal, and injustice.
Most of his stories unfold in this city. Miguel García Posada highlights three key spots in his guide. Calle de Toledo, Plaza Mayor, and Puerta del Sol form the vital space. Galdós’s characters lead us through Madrid. We see Plaza de Pontejos, Chamberí, and the Retiro Park.
Another commemorative plaque marks his last Madrid home. It is located on Calle Hilarión Eslava 7. The city honored him in 1899. Calle del Colmillo became Calle de Benito Pérez Galdós. A sculpture in Retiro Park was unveiled in 1919. Galdós’s remains rest in La Almudena. His funeral was a major event. All Madrid theaters closed as a sign of mourning.