Manzanares el Real

Manzanares el Real
—  Municipality  —
Castle of the Mendoza in Manzanares el Real
Flag
Manzanares el Real Location in Spain
Coordinates: 40°43′38″N 3°51′40″W / 40.72722°N 3.86111°W / 40.72722; -3.86111Coordinates: 40°43′38″N 3°51′40″W / 40.72722°N 3.86111°W / 40.72722; -3.86111
Country	Spain
Autonomous community	Community of Madrid
Province	Madrid
Government
- Mayor	Yolanda Aguirre Gómez
Area
- Total	128.4 km2 (49.6 sq mi)
Elevation	908 m (2,979 ft)
Population (2009)
- Total	7,244
- Density	56.4/km2 (146.1/sq mi)
Demonym	Rascafrienses
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
- Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Website	Official website

Manzanares el Real is a 7,250 inhabitant town in the northern area of the autonomous Community of Madrid. It is located at the foot of The Pedriza, a part of the Sierra de Guadarrama, and next to the embalse de Santillana (the Santillana reservoir).

Main sights

• the New Castle of Manzanares el Real, the best conserved castle in the Community of Madrid. Construction commencing in 1475, it has been used in several motion pictures, most notably El Cid
• the Old Castle of Manzanares el Real is the ruin of a former fortress, also known as Plaza de Armas. Only two walls remain standing, now integrated into a garden complex. It was built in Mudejar in stone granite with brick curbing.
• church of Nuestra Señora de las Nieves, founded in the early 14th century. It has a nave and two aisles, separated by arcades on stone columns. The nave, in Romanesque styles, ends into a pentagonal presbytery. The church has also a 16th century Renaissance portico
• hermitage of Nuestra Señora de la Peña Sacra

External links

• Official website (Spanish)
• The Castle of Manzanares el Real - History and photos

Ruins of El Castillo Viejo de Manzanares el Real or Plaza de Armas, showing one of its four towers.