Much of Madrid gives the impression of being cramped. The temperate times of year are spring and fall, which are also the most attractive seasons for visitors. Average temperatures range between 41 and 75 ☏ (5 and 24 ☌), while average precipitation varies between a low of less than 0.5 inch (11 mm) in July up to about 2 inches (50 mm) in October, usually the rainiest month of the year. Sudden variations of temperature are possible, but summers are consistently dry and hot, becoming especially oppressive in July and August, when temperatures sometimes rise above 100 ☏ (38 ☌). This location, together with the proximity of the Sierra de Guadarrama, is partly responsible for the weather pattern of cold, crisp winters accompanied by sharp winds. It is situated on an undulating plateau of sand and clay known as the Meseta (derived from the Spanish word mesa, “table”) at an elevation of some 2,120 feet (646 metres) above sea level, making it one of the highest capitals in Europe. Madrid lies almost exactly at the geographical heart of the Iberian Peninsula. Physical and human geography The landscape The city site and climate Under the patronage of Philip II and his successors, Madrid developed into a city of curious contrasts, preserving its old, overcrowded centre, around which developed palaces, convents, churches, and public buildings. Madrid was officially made the national capital by Philip III, an entire generation after Philip II took the court to Madrid in 1561. Even the city’s origins seem inappropriate for a national capital: its earliest historical role was as the site of a small Moorish fortress on a rocky outcrop-part of the northern defenses of what was then the far more important city of Toledo, located about 43 miles (70 km) south-southwest. Madrid does not possess mineral deposits or other natural wealth, nor was it ever a destination of pilgrimages, although its patron saint, San Isidro, enjoys the all-but-unique distinction of having been married to another saint. It does not lie on a major river, as so many European cities do the 16th–17th-century dramatist Lope de Vega, referring to a magnificent bridge over the distinctly unimposing waters of the Manzanares, suggested either selling the bridge or buying another river. Indeed, Madrid is deficient in other characteristics that might qualify it for a leading role. The choice of Madrid, however, was also the result of the city’s previous obscurity and neutrality: it was chosen because it lacked ties with an established nonroyal power rather than because of any strategic, geographic, or economic considerations. Madrid’s status as the national capital reflects the centralizing policy of the 16th-century Spanish king Philip II and his successors. SpaceNext50 Britannica presents SpaceNext50, From the race to the Moon to space stewardship, we explore a wide range of subjects that feed our curiosity about space!.Learn about the major environmental problems facing our planet and what can be done about them! Saving Earth Britannica Presents Earth’s To-Do List for the 21st Century.Britannica Beyond We’ve created a new place where questions are at the center of learning.100 Women Britannica celebrates the centennial of the Nineteenth Amendment, highlighting suffragists and history-making politicians.COVID-19 Portal While this global health crisis continues to evolve, it can be useful to look to past pandemics to better understand how to respond today.Student Portal Britannica is the ultimate student resource for key school subjects like history, government, literature, and more.Demystified Videos In Demystified, Britannica has all the answers to your burning questions.This Time in History In these videos, find out what happened this month (or any month!) in history.#WTFact Videos In #WTFact Britannica shares some of the most bizarre facts we can find.
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