Lavapiés
Encyclopedia
Lavapiés is a central neighbourhood of the city of Madrid
, centered on Plaza de Lavapiés.
It was the Jewish quarter of the city until the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492, the church of San Lorenzo being built on the former site of the synagogue. The name literally means "wash feet", and may refer to the ritual washing of one's feet before entering the temple, possibly in the fountain in Plaza de Lavapiés which no longer exists.
It has long been a neglected area of the city. An inscription on a fountain in Plaza de Cabestreros is a monument to the Spanish Republic
in Madrid. The ruins of Escuelas Pías, a religious school, were left to stand for many years after it was burned down by the anti-Catholic, radical left that supported the Popular Front
in 1936. Only in 2002 were the ruins converted into a university library.
In the late 1980s and 1990s, Lavapiés had acquired a reputation as a "vertical slum", with its tenement blocks either empty or occupied by older people paying low rents. As a result, it became the most important location for okupación, or squatting
, in Madrid.
More recently, it has become the focal point for immigrant populations, particularly Chinese, Arabs
and people from the Indian subcontinent
. It has been estimated that around 50% of the population is of foreign origin.
West of Calle Ave María has a very high percentage of immigrant residents and shops and restaurants are almost exclusively owned by Chinese people, Indians, Bangaledeshis and Middle Easterners. East of Calle Ave María, while still maintaining a socialist atmosphere in relation to the other areas of Madrid, has a far higher Spanish ocupancy and eating/night scene.
There is a consistent police presence in Plaza de Lavapiés, as well as a high level of open drug selling. The area however is still considered safe in the Plaza, as well as in the south and east end while in some parts of the west end, better lighting and cleaning as well as the same police presence would create the same feeling of safety.
The architecture of Lavapiés, much like other barrios of Madrid (including Malasaña, La Latina and Chueca) is rather uniform with similar height, windows, balconies, pastel colours and shop/apartment set up. However, Lavapiés is unique in that there are steep hills creating a dramatic effect on some streets as well as tall trees unique to the centre of Madrid.
At the end of the 1990s, a programme of urban renewal
was begun, in the hope of bringing in more prosperous residents attracted to its Bohemian atmosphere. The resulting sharp increase in rents has driven out much of its previous population.
The atmosphere of the nightlife of Lavapiés can be divided into three parts. South of the Plaza are several bars and cafes with a bohemian vibe and many terraces during the summer.
Calle Ave María and East of it, are many alternative bars not to mention fringe meetings (parties or artistic/musical meetings) also happen in abandoned or unliscened premises. There are also several shisha bars and a cafe selling the Madrid renowned Zapatilla, a 1K sandwich made with ham and cheese.
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, centered on Plaza de Lavapiés.
It was the Jewish quarter of the city until the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492, the church of San Lorenzo being built on the former site of the synagogue. The name literally means "wash feet", and may refer to the ritual washing of one's feet before entering the temple, possibly in the fountain in Plaza de Lavapiés which no longer exists.
Overview
rIt has long been a neglected area of the city. An inscription on a fountain in Plaza de Cabestreros is a monument to the Spanish Republic
Second Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic was the government of Spain between April 14 1931, and its destruction by a military rebellion, led by General Francisco Franco....
in Madrid. The ruins of Escuelas Pías, a religious school, were left to stand for many years after it was burned down by the anti-Catholic, radical left that supported the Popular Front
Popular Front (Spain)
The Popular Front in Spain's Second Republic was an electoral coalition and pact signed in January 1936 by various left-wing political organisations, instigated by Manuel Azaña for the purpose of contesting that year's election....
in 1936. Only in 2002 were the ruins converted into a university library.
Squatting
Squatting consists of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied space or building, usually residential, that the squatter does not own, rent or otherwise have permission to use....
, in Madrid.
More recently, it has become the focal point for immigrant populations, particularly Chinese, Arabs
Arab diaspora
Arab diaspora refers to Arab immigrants, and their descendants who, voluntarily or as refugees, emigrated from their native lands and now reside in non-Arab countries, primarily in Latin America, and Europe, as well as North America and South Asia, parts of Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and West...
and people from the Indian subcontinent
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...
. It has been estimated that around 50% of the population is of foreign origin.
West of Calle Ave María has a very high percentage of immigrant residents and shops and restaurants are almost exclusively owned by Chinese people, Indians, Bangaledeshis and Middle Easterners. East of Calle Ave María, while still maintaining a socialist atmosphere in relation to the other areas of Madrid, has a far higher Spanish ocupancy and eating/night scene.
There is a consistent police presence in Plaza de Lavapiés, as well as a high level of open drug selling. The area however is still considered safe in the Plaza, as well as in the south and east end while in some parts of the west end, better lighting and cleaning as well as the same police presence would create the same feeling of safety.
The architecture of Lavapiés, much like other barrios of Madrid (including Malasaña, La Latina and Chueca) is rather uniform with similar height, windows, balconies, pastel colours and shop/apartment set up. However, Lavapiés is unique in that there are steep hills creating a dramatic effect on some streets as well as tall trees unique to the centre of Madrid.
At the end of the 1990s, a programme of urban renewal
Urban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
was begun, in the hope of bringing in more prosperous residents attracted to its Bohemian atmosphere. The resulting sharp increase in rents has driven out much of its previous population.
Ambiance
The area has evolved from almost projecting a level of high impoverishment to a more multicultural entity within Madrid's metropolitan area. Much of this attitude or culture can be seen in the graffiti that is often on display in the walls. Much of it speaks of an attitude that can be traced to an era in which many of its citizens portrayed an anti-Franco sentiment; however there are some writings that have no political significance behind them. Furthermore, many of the vandals that randomly paint trash on walls is considered vulgar to many citizens in the neightborhood; much of the graffiti seems to aim at portraying a message of perversion and radical leftism. This can be quickly discerned by studying a bit of the neightborhood's history and its often revolutionary and anti-establishment tendencies.The atmosphere of the nightlife of Lavapiés can be divided into three parts. South of the Plaza are several bars and cafes with a bohemian vibe and many terraces during the summer.
Calle Ave María and East of it, are many alternative bars not to mention fringe meetings (parties or artistic/musical meetings) also happen in abandoned or unliscened premises. There are also several shisha bars and a cafe selling the Madrid renowned Zapatilla, a 1K sandwich made with ham and cheese.