Móstoles

Móstoles
Municipality

Church of the Assumption, Móstoles' oldest building

Flag

Coat of arms
Móstoles

Location in Spain

Coordinates: 40°20′0″N 3°52′0″W / 40.33333°N 3.86667°W / 40.33333; -3.86667Coordinates: 40°20′0″N 3°52′0″W / 40.33333°N 3.86667°W / 40.33333; -3.86667
Country Spain Spain
Region Community of Madrid Community of Madrid
Comarca Madrid metropolitan area
Government
  Mayor David Lucas (PSOE)
Area
  Total 45.36 km2 (17.51 sq mi)
Elevation 620 m (2,030 ft)
Population (2009)
  Total 206,478
  Density 4,600/km2 (12,000/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Mostoleños, Mostolenses, Mostoleros
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
  Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 28930 - 28939
Website www.mostoles.es

Móstoles (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈmos.to.les]) is the second-largest city in population belonging to the autonomous community of Madrid. It is located 18 kilometres southwest from central Madrid. Móstoles was for a long time only a small village, but expanded rapidly in the twentieth century.

To some extent it is a dormitory suburb of Madrid, but it is also home to several polígonos (industrial estates). The city also hosts the main campus of the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos.

Area and population

Mostoles has about 206.015 residents, Mostoles is located in the Community of Madrid, near the city of Madrid. After Madrid itself, it is the municipality with most residents of the Community of Madrid.

History

Móstoles became famous on May 2, 1808, when, although it was only a small village, one of its two mayors, Andrés Torrejón, declared war on France. This followed the Dos de Mayo Uprising the same day in Madrid which started the Peninsular War. The Monument to the Mayor (1908), located in Pradillo Square, was erected to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the historic events.

A resident of Móstoles, Manuela Malasaña, became a popular heroine of the uprising; a subway station and secondary school in Móstoles and a neighbourhood in Madrid are named after her.

Main sights

Historic buildings

Hermitage

Two of the most important monuments in Móstoles are churches; The medieval church of La Asunción has mudejar features. Its tower provides a home for storks. The Baroque hermitage of La Virgen de los Santos dates from the 17th century.

There is a monument which was erected to mark the one hundredth anniversary of the uprising.

Museums and galleries

Móstoles is the home of the Community of Madrid's modern art gallery, the Centro de Arte 2 de mayo. It was opened in 2008 to mark the two hundredth anniversary of the uprising after which is named.[1]

There is also a local history museum.

Transportation

Móstoles is connected to other suburbs and to central Madrid by:

The railway line originally continued to Almorox, but the section beyond Mostoles was closed in the 1960s. Between Móstoles-El Soto railway station and Navalcarnero the track has been converted into a green route (via verde) for cyclists and walkers which crosses the river Guadarrama.[2] There is also a waymarked long distance walk to Guadelupe, Móstoles being on one of the traditional pilgrims' ways to that city.[3]

Notable people

References

  1. Centro de Arte Dos de Mayo
  2. Vía Verde del Guadarrama
  3. Camino Real a Guadalupe
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