Do you see those clusters of winding streets with red roof tiles? These mark Numancia, once an independent town. Now, Numancia lies well within Madrid’s city limits. Yet, it remains different.
Numancia is an administrative neighborhood of Madrid. It belongs to the district of Puente de Vallecas. Once, Vallecas was a shantytown on the outskirts of Madrid. In the 1950s, it looked much like the Cañada Real. Residents fought hard for basic amenities. Eventually, Vallecas forfeited its independence. It became part of Madrid.
I took a photo standing in Nueva Numancia. It is the northern part of Puente de Vallecas. This is one of the lowest earning neighborhoods in Madrid. The buildings here are typically two to four stories high. Each building has between four and ten flats. This is much fewer than in Madrid’s city center.
Numancia’s streets are narrow and steep. They tumble down towards Madrid City. The current invisible border is the M30 motorway. This roars as it cuts north-south. It divides Vallecas and Pacifico.
The original invisible border of Puente de Vallecas is a stream. It is called Arroyo Abroñigal. This flows into the Manzanares. The barrio gets its name from a wooden footbridge. The bridge once hung above the stream. Now, the stream runs underground. It flows directly beneath the M30 motorway.
This underground stream marks a divergence in politics and wealth. Crossing west, above the stream, leads back towards Madrid. The vote shifts to the right. Income doubles.
Like Vallecas, the street layout of Numancia hasn’t changed. It has remained largely the same.
Numancia covers 1.849172 square kilometers. As of 2020, its population was 48,815. That is a density of 26,000 people per square kilometer.
Nueva Numancia also has a metro station. It is on Line 1 of the Madrid Metro. You can access it from Avenida de la Albufera. The station opened in 1962. It is located in fare Zone A.
So, as you wander these streets remember Numancia’s past. It was once a separate town. Now, it is a unique part of Madrid, shaped by history and circumstance. Its spirit remains distinct.