Picture the scene a bustling neighborhood in Madrid’s Ciudad Lineal district. This is San Juan Bautista a place transformed over time. We stand where once a vibrant community thrived. San Juan Bautista wasn’t always part of the sprawling city. In the early 1960s it was a new development. The Saconia company built many of the buildings. People called it “El Parque de San Juan Bautista” or simply “El Parque”.
San Juan Bautista felt isolated then. A narrow tunnel under Avenida de America was the main connection to the city. A bus line a “camioneta” connected the neighborhood to other areas. There was a tram along Arturo Soria. Imagine families seeking a quieter life away from the city’s noise and pollution.
San Juan Bautista had its own unique character. Annual San Juan fiestas were famous. Young people from nearby neighborhoods flocked to the celebrations. There were bonfires verbenas and concerts. The festivities took place in the “campo de la Iglesia”. This was an open space ending abruptly in a steep drop. It’s gone now. A highway access replaced it. Schoolchildren played sports there. The ball often rolled into the ravine below.
Beyond the ravine lay the Quinta de la Paloma. This was a shantytown lacking basic amenities. Kids from San Juan Bautista played there. They explored the area near the Avenida de la Paz the future M-30 highway. They saw old houses factories and ruins from the Civil War. Three twelve-story apartment buildings stood near the Quinta.
Factories like Talleres de Arte Granda and Parke-Davis were located in the southern part of San Juan Bautista. So were the Hispavox recording studios. Famous singers like Karina visited. Another open area was a playground for children. They found industrial remnants there. Later apartment towers replaced this area.
San Juan Bautista had a lively social scene. Locals gathered for drinks and snacks. There was Bar San Juan “Marcial” Los Chavales El Quiosco El Tubo and La Bolera. The neighborhood also boasted two large private schools and several smaller ones. An institute opened in nearby Canillas in the late 1960s.
San Juan Bautista changed rapidly in the 1970s. More buildings were constructed. A municipal swimming pool was added. Luxury housing went up near Arturo Soria and the M-30 highway. The “campo de la Iglesia” and Quinta de la Paloma disappeared. A public school was built and the Metro arrived. The tram vanished but buses now easily connect San Juan Bautista to the city center. Telefónica and Amper moved into the area. The famous singer Massiel and actor Emilio Rodriguez lived here. The renowned composer Josu Bonnín de Góngora was born here.
In the 1990s the Traffic Department moved in and an Arturo Soria shopping center was built. San Juan Bautista is now fully integrated into Madrid. It has lost its unique identity. The San Juan fiestas stopped in 2006. The neighborhood is a blend of early social housing and modern apartment buildings. Yet the spirit of this area remains in its history and the memories of those who lived there.