Originally published on October 27, 2024 (Episode 380)
Introduction
For nearly five centuries Madrid has been the capital of Spain—and the target of as much derision as admiration. Prime Minister Manuel Azaña Díaz once declared it a town “without history,” where “nothing has happened.” Yet as Luke Stegeman argues, Madrid has always been the heart and head of Spain: a city shaped by power in all its forms—royal and religious, military and economic, cultural and political.
It is the story of power gained, lost, reclaimed, seized, and sometimes left unused. And through it all, Madrid has become and remained Spain’s defining city.
About the Guest
Luke Stegeman is a writer and cultural historian. A rural Australian by birth and a boxing referee by avocation, he brings a unique perspective to Spanish history. His most recent book, Madrid: A New Biography (Yale, 2024), is the subject of today’s conversation.
For Further Investigation
Luke Stegeman, Madrid: A New Biography (Yale, 2024)
Related Episodes
“City of Light, City of Shadows”— Michael Rapport on Paris in the Belle Époque
“Philadelphia”— Paul Kahan on diversity, conflict, and forgetting the past
Other Resources
Arturo Pérez-Reverte: Las aventuras del capitán Alatriste
Benito Pérez Galdós—classic novelist of nineteenth century Madrid’s life and politics
Listen & Discuss
Is Madrid really a “town without history”—or is it a city whose history is simply hard to see? Share your thoughts in the comments, and send this episode to the Madrid-lover (or Madrid-skeptic) in your life.
