Madrid is the capital and the largest city of Spain by population with almost 3.2 million (with about 6.5 million in the metropolitan area). It is the third-largest city by population, after London (UK) and Berlin (Germany) and the third-largest city by metropolitan area, after London (UK) and Paris (France) in the European Union.
As the capital city of the country, it serves as the seat of government, the palace of the Spanish monarch, the political, economic, cultural, financial, education, science, entertainment and media centers. With its importance, Madrid is one of the world’s major global cities. Two famous football clubs, Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid, are based here as well.
Madrid is also home to important Spanish companies, such as Telefónica (broadband and telecommunication company), Iberia (National Airliner) and Repsol (energy company). According to Monocle magazine (UK magazine) in 2014, Madrid was ranked 17th for the most livable cities in the world.
The major tourist attractions in Madrid include the Royal Palace of Madrid, the Royal Theater, the Buen Retiro Park, the National Library, and the Golden Triangle of Art.
The Royal Palace of Madrid
The Buen Retiro Park
Crystal Palace inside the Buen Retiro Park
