Standing before you is a fragment of history the Cerca de Felipe IV. This wall once encircled Madrid. It served not as a defense but as a means of control.
Philip IV ordered its construction. This was to replace older walls that had been outgrown. Madrid’s population had boomed. The Cerca de Felipe IV helped monitor goods entering the city. It also ensured taxes were collected. People entering and leaving Madrid were watched.
Imagine Madrid in the 17th century. The city was expanding rapidly. Philip IV’s reign saw Madrid triple in size compared to his grandfather’s time. Buildings sprawled beyond the old Walls of Philip II. New boundaries were needed and so came the Cerca de Felipe IV.
Construction began in 1625. Brick mortar and compacted earth formed the walls. To fund this project a tax was placed on wine. The wall was built in sections each with its own gate. These gates were named after nearby landmarks. The route was irregular adapting to the terrain.
By 1650 the Cerca de Felipe IV enclosed a large area. This included the Mountain del Príncipe Pío and the Buen Retiro. It stretched over thirteen kilometers. It covered 500 hectares. More than 150 hectares belonged to the Royal Site of Buen Retiro.
There were five main gates. These were the Puerta de Segovia and the Puerta de Toledo. Also there was the Puerta de Atocha. Then came the Puerta de Alcalá and the Puerta de Bilbao. Fourteen minor gates called portillos also dotted the wall. Each had its own opening and closing times. The main gates closed late at night. The portillos opened at dawn and closed at sunset.
The Cerca de Felipe IV had a major drawback. It hindered Madrid’s growth. Overcrowding became a problem for two centuries. The city was stuck within its confines.
In 1868 the walls were finally torn down. This happened during the Glorious Revolution. They were seen as a symbol of the old regime. Today only fragments remain.
You can see remnants in the Jardines de Las Vistillas. Another section stands by the Ronda de Segovia fire station. A commemorative plaque marks its spot.
In 2009 a new section was discovered. This was during work on Calle de Serrano. The Cerca de Felipe IV is a reminder of Madrid’s past. It shows the city’s growth challenges and changes. It stands silently telling tales of kings taxes and urban sprawl. So next time you pass a seemingly ordinary wall consider its hidden history. It might just be a piece of Madrid’s story waiting to be discovered.