Gazing up at the Sacramental de Santa María, can you feel the weight of history? This isn’t just a cemetery. It’s a storybook of Madrid, etched in stone and whispered on the wind. Established in 1840 on Cerro de San Dámaso in Carabanchel, the Sacramental de Santa María holds centuries of tales within its walls. Originally built by the Archicofradía de la Sacramental de Santa María and the Cofradía de la Iglesia Mayor de la Almudena, it served as the final resting place for the city’s poor. The Sacramental de Santa María stands on hallowed ground, the former site of the Ermita del Pontífice San Dámaso. This chapel was destroyed by French troops, adding another layer of historical intrigue to this place. The neoclassical design, initially envisioned by José Alejandro y Álvarez, was simplified due to economic constraints. Álvarez, who also built the Patio de San Dámaso and the provisional chapel, passed away in 1850. Architects José Arnilla Botello and Atilano Sanz Pérez then took over, completing the chapel in a more modest form. Within these grounds lie prominent figures from Madrid’s past. Poets, playwrights, actors, politicians, and even a bullfighter found their final rest here. The esteemed writer Enrique Jardiel Poncela, master bullfighter Antonio Bienvenida, and the poet Narciso Serra are just a few of the notable names. Even the venerable Bernardino de Obregón, who founded the Archicofradía in 1580, was laid to rest here in 1999, his remains transferred from beneath the Reina Sofía Museum. The Sacramental de Santa María isn’t merely a cemetery, it’s a testament to Madrid’s rich history, a place where the past comes alive through the stories of those who rest here.
Club de Tenis Alameda
Twenty-three hectares of pure bliss. That’s the Club de Tenis Alameda. Imagine a sprawling oasis just five minutes from the