Alcala de Henares Spain travel guide and attractions
Alcala de Henares is a city in the Madrid Province region of Spain. It is about 30 km from Madrid.
Alcala de Henares is a modern industrial city but it has an attractive medieval centre and a place in history as the first city to be built as the seat of a university.It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Visit Alcala de Henares, Spain
Alcala de Henares is one of the oldest university towns in Europe. It was founded by Cardinal Cisneros in 1508 and in the 16th century its university rivalled the university of Salamanca. Unfortunately the faculties moved to Madrid and the town declined and then much of its heritage was destroyed in the Spanish Civil War.
The main sights lie in the medieval centre.
Many of the university colleges have been destroyed but the magnificent San Ildefonso college remains. This has a wonderful Plateresque facade, a cloister, a Great Hall with a Mudejar ceiling and Renaissance and Baroque courtyards.
The cathedral lies on Santos Ninos Square and was built in the 15-16th century.
The Monastery of San Bernado was built in 1617 by Cistercian monks and is now open to the public.
Alcala de Henares' main square is the attractive Plaza Cervantes. Just nearby can be found the Corral de Comedias, the oldest theatre in Europe. It has been restored and you can take a guided tour to explore the building and its history.
Museums in Alcala de Henares
The Museo Casa Natal de Cervantes is built upon the site of Cervantes birth and has been built and furnished in 16th century style. Several items related to Cervantes plus a few early copies of Don Quixote, his masterpiece, are kept in the museum.
Paradors in Alcala de Henares
The Parador of Alcala de Henares is housed in a wonderful 17th century convent in the university quarter of the town.