Alatriste’s Madrid
Wander around the essential places of 17th century Madrid, the Golden century of Spanish literature which gave rise to writers of the likes of Lope de Vega, Cervantes, Quevedo or painters, such as Velázquez. From Baroque art in the Plaza de la Villa to the Plaza Mayor, as well as taverns reminiscent of this period. From the Literary Quarter, residence of these literates, to the Encarnación Convent, battlefield of the novelist, Arturo Pérez-Reverte’s character, Captain Alatriste.
The place where the acts of the Inquisition and Purity of Blood took place, reflected in the second book in the saga. It is attacked in the fourth chapter of Purity of Blood.
Emblematic place where the delinquents of the era sought refuge.
Square with the Baroque essence of that period and setting for the characters of the novel, cited in the first chapter of Captain Alatriste.
Purity of Blood tells how “of the more than seventy thousand inhabitants in Madrid, two thirds went to the Plaza Mayor whenever there was a bull fight, celebrating the value and skill of the knights who faced the animals”.
Traditional Spanish food in the La Latina quarter in a tavern that was reopened as a grill house in 1982, set in the Golden century.
Previously known as Turkish Tavern or Lebrijana Charity tavern Diego Alatriste used to live in a rented room in the company of the young Iñigo Balboa.
In the home of the famous poet, historic character in Pérez Reverte’s novels, Alatriste met his son, Lopito de Vega, who has his own story in the novel, including a fight with the main character.
The museum has Diego Velázquez’s canvas, The Surrender of Breda, also known as The Lances, of which it is said that Captain Alatriste appears on the right of this painting, behind the horse.
These gardens are home to the statue of the monument to Phillip 6th, one of the characters from his novels.
In the Plaza Mayor, this restaurant is where Arturo Pérez-Reverte claims to have come up with the idea of Captain Alatriste. The Spanish atmosphere of its lounges, particularly the Salón Duque, was of great inspiration for the writer.
The museum has a copy of the Teixeira Map, charted by the Portuguese cartographer, Pedro Texeira in 1656. Pérez-Reverte was inspired by this map to choose the locations for scenes from Alatriste.
This brick and stone building was home to Alatriste, much to his regret, when it was the Court jail and housed the courts and prison for a period of time. The jail courtyard saw many attorneys, lawyers and solicitors fishing for profit, like in tuna fishing, in those times when Justice was bought and bribed.
This 16th century red brick and stone building with seven chimneys and a weathercock on the roof, has housed such famous people as the Genoese merchant and banker, Catamneo (Castaño for people from Madrid), or the English ambassador, Bristol, in 1623, who welcomed Charles Stewart, Prince of Wales there, when he visited Madrid incognito to meet the king’s sister, an episode that is included in the first novel in the Captain Alatriste series.
When the Habsburgs looked out of the windows of the Royal Alcázar that overlooked the Manzanares, the first thing they saw was Segovia Bridge, a monumental construction that was opened in 1588.
This is the main street in Alatrist’s Madrid, along which civic or religious processions travelled, as well as the entourage of distinguished visitors who departed from the Alcázar to reach the heart of the city of vice-versa.
One of the liveliest streets in the times of Captain Alatrist. There were several famous inns and taverns, as well as the impressive Jesuit church, today’s San Isidro Collegiate Church.