“SE INAUGURARON LAS OBRAS / DE LA CIUDAD LINEAL.” This inscription marks the Primera piedra Ciudad Lineal 1894 Stone. It stands as a testament to a visionary urban plan. This stone marks where it all began.
The Primera piedra Ciudad Lineal 1894 Stone commemorates the start of Arturo Soria y Mata’s ambitious project. He was a civil engineer and urban planner. His idea was to create a new type of city. It would be based on public transport. It would integrate different social classes. His vision was a utopian urban space. It would be hygienic and anti-speculative. It would be connected to nature.
Arturo Soria y Mata proposed his linear city in 1892. In 1894, the project took concrete form. The Compa Madrile de Urbanizaci (C.M.U.) was founded to manage it. Construction began in 1897.
The Primera piedra Ciudad Lineal 1894 Stone was placed on July 16, 1894. It sat on farmland near the Camino de la Cuerda. The land belonged to Canillejas back then. It marked the site of the first hotel. Architect Mariano Belms Estrada designed it. The Archbishop-Bishop of Madrid-Alcal, Jos Mara de Cos, blessed the stone. The civil governor of Madrid province attended the event. So did the president of the C.M.U. and other officials. Arturo Soria himself was there.
Originally, the Ciudad Lineal was planned to stretch almost 50 km. Only a fraction of that was ever built. Still, Arturo Soria gained international fame. His unique vision created an attractive new district in Madrid. Later zoning changes altered the initial design.
Rafael Munguira preserved the Primera piedra Ciudad Lineal 1894 Stone. He donated it to the Madrid City Council. In February 1997, the council installed it at the beginning of Calle Arturo Soria.
The Primera piedra Ciudad Lineal 1894 Stone itself is a white marble ashlars. It measures 30 x 55 x 30 cm. The inscription is carved into the stone. Crosses are carved on both sides.
The stone rests on a concrete base. A bronze plaque displays the Madrid City Council’s coat of arms. Another bronze plaque bears an inscription. It states that Rafael Munguira donated the stone. Jos M Álvarez del Manzano y Lpez del Hierro was mayor at the time. The base is carefully crafted with grooved edges. It stands on a slight incline in a grassy area. A small flower bed sits in front of the monument.
As you stand before the Primera piedra Ciudad Lineal 1894 Stone, remember Arturo Soria’s vision. He dreamed of a city that was both modern and humane. This stone represents the beginning of that dream. It stands as a reminder of urban planning’s power. It changed Madrid forever.