Madrid is one of the most visited and well-known cities in Spain. It could be said that it is so famous that it is already known even with closed eyes. Its classic places to visit, such as the museums, the tapas bars, the statue of the Bear and the Strawberry Tree, and many other attractions that are famous worldwide.

However, the city hides several secrets that most tourists are unaware of. Those tourists who have only been able to see the superficial part of Madrid, or those who have traveled to learn in Expanish and have only known the classic tourist sites, will find in this article a wealth of information to discover some of those hidden secrets of the city and be surprised!

Let’s see then what are the mysteries that this city holds.

British Cemetery

In Madrid there is a cemetery for foreigners built in 1854 in Carabanchel. Because the British belonged to another church, they could not be buried in Catholic cemeteries, so they created this cemetery to perform the British burials.

Inside there is a neo-Egyptian style pantheon belonging to the Bauer family, and there is also a statue placed in honor of the circus family Parish. It is an exciting place worth visiting.

The first university student

This is a statue of a female figure representing Julia, who was the first female university student. It was leaning against the wall of the Bauer Palace and was inspired by a young woman who decided to dress like a boy to attend classes at Central University in 1848.

This statue is an icon of the students and the struggle of women to obtain the same rights as men, although it is not very popular.

Spain is a country well known for its academic level, and Madrid is one of the most sought-after cities to study abroad. There are many renowned universities, and most international students choose to study in a Spanish language school madrid. Therefore, it makes sense that this emblematic event happened in this city. Luckily, it was commemorated with this beautiful statue.

The house of the Mouse Perez

The Perez Mouse house is located at 8 Arenal Street. It is said that he lives in the Prast confectionery along with all his family, inside a big box of cookies.

This little mouse receives mail with teeth and has a museum house, which can be visited, where teeth of illustrious characters such as Isaac Newton are preserved.

The Mouse Perez’s origin goes back to when King Alfonso XIII was a child. It is said that the little boy was very fearful of everyday situations, such as the fall of a tooth, so the writer Luis Coloma was asked to write a book to cheer him up. Thus, the writer told the story of how the little mouse who lived at number 8, Arenal Street, collected the teeth that fell out of the children’s mouths.

A street built with cork

In Madrid, there is a street that was paved with cork. Although it may seem very strange, in 1896, Arenal street was renovated with a pin because the heavy traffic in the city generated too much noise for the citizens’ taste. Therefore, the city council decided to take this measure to reduce the noise generated by the carriages that circulated there.

However, after some rains, the cork could not support the weight of the carriages and the animals’ footsteps, so the street had to return to its original state.

The house of the murders

In the well-known neighborhood of Malasaña, in the street Antonio Grilo number 3 is located a three-story house that is more than 130 years old and keeps a terrible secret. Multiple murders were committed there, which is why it is known as the cursed house.

The first known crime was in 1776. The fact was carried out by a priest who murdered a man who made fun of him. Then in 1915, a man’s throat was slit at the entrance of the same house. Later in 1945, thieves killed a shirtmaker on the main floor. In 1962 a tailor murdered his five children and his wife, displayed their corpses on the balcony, and then committed suicide. And finally, two years later, a young mother strangled her baby and hid it in a dresser drawer, which was found three days later by the murderer’s sister.

In fact, it is not only the house that is said to be cursed, but the whole street also has a long list of sinister events.

The house of the Seven Chimneys

It is an XVI century building located in the Plaza del Rey, close to the Gran Vía. It is said that in this house of the seven chimneys wanders the ghost of a young woman named Elena, who walks around the roof with a torch in her hand and beats her chest.

Some theories say that she was murdered because her body disappeared inexplicably.

A very particular jail

In Conde de Peñalver Street is a sizeable neo-Mudejar building dating from the early twentieth century, which was used as a prison during Franco’s regime.

The poet Miguel Hernandez was imprisoned there for four months, during which time he wrote his famous work Nanas de la Cebolla (Onion Lullabies).

In addition, characters such as Miguel Gila, Luis Calandre, and Enrique Moles also passed through there to serve their sentences.

The Secret Garden of the Prince of Anglona

If you want to get away from the noise and stress of the city, it is not necessary to go to the outskirts. A noble garden belonged to the prince of Anglona during the 18th century, which is hidden on one side of the Plaza de la Paja. It is an enclosure of 500 square meters where there is a beautiful pergola with a rose bush, several stone benches to rest, and a beautiful granite fountain.