Puerta del Ángel

Stepping back in time, let’s journey to Puerta del Ángel, a neighborhood brimming with captivating stories. Puerta del Ángel, meaning “Angel’s Gate,” isn’t just a name. It was once a gateway to the sprawling Casa de Campo park. Imagine Madrid in the 1800s. Puerta del Ángel was a quiet area with scattered houses along the Paseo de Extremadura, just across the Puente de Segovia. The lack of transportation kept it sparsely populated. The nearby Casa de Campo, the Luche and Jesuitas streams, and the Quinta de Goya contributed to its tranquil, undeveloped character. By 1880, a few streets began to appear: Calle de Doña Elvira (now Antonio Zamora), Calle de Doña Urraca, and further west, Calle de Santa Úrsula. The rest of Puerta del Ángel consisted of tile factories, small industries, gardens, and pathways. The Parador de la Sierra stood near the Puente de Segovia. In 1882, a railway station, named after the Quinta de Goya, was built. It connected Madrid with towns like Navalcarnero and Almorox. The Queen Regent Maria Christina founded a children’s asylum near the Plaza de Puerta del Ángel in 1892. The area remained relatively unpopulated. That changed after Carlos María de Castro’s Madrid expansion plan. The area, then known as the Arrabal del Puente de Segovia, began to take shape. Five streets were laid out parallel to the Extremadura highway. Six streets formed a grid pattern, including the Camino de San Isidro (now Saavedra Fajardo). By the early 20th century, the area was known as both “Barrio de Puerta del Ángel” and “Colmenares.” The Church of Santa Cristina, built between 1904 and 1906, became a prominent landmark in Puerta del Ángel. It served as the main parish until others were constructed in later decades. From the 1920s to the 1930s, the Clemente Fernández railway workers’ colony, the “little houses,” emerged. In 1932, the Tirso de Molina market was established. Puerta del Ángel’s growth halted during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). The area suffered significant damage due to its position on the front line. Many residents fled, returning after the war to rebuild their lives.