Alcala de Henares and Cervantes Guided Tour from Madrid

This square has had several denominations throughout its history. Initially it was the "Market Square", then the "Constitution Square" and, since 1879, it is the "Plaza de Cervantes" in memory of his favorite son Miguel de Cervantes. However, popularly it is also called "main square", as it is the main and largest of Alcala de Henares.

The set of the Colegio Mayor de San Ildefonso and Rector of the University of Alcalá was established as center of the university structure designed by Cardinal Cisneros from 1499. Its facade was built from 1537 by Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón, architect of cathedrals of Salamanca and Segovia, was finished in 1553 rigger being the same Pedro de la Cotera. In its elegant decor they worked the most qualified of the time and forged their teachers bars admirable Cathedral of Toledo Francisco de Villalpando and Ruiz Diaz of the Corral carvers. Retains the Patio de Santo Tomas de Villanueva, the Philosopher and the trilingual. The Auditorium and the University Chapel are the only two buildings of the College built in the days of its founder. Escolástico the auditorium or theater, Located in the western bay of the Trilingual Patio, it was destined to the imposition of degrees and where solemn academic events took place.

It owes its origin to the old Jewish aljama of the city, around the twelfth century, which was built along the path of the Caesar Augusta Roman road that passed through Complutum. As today, it was the commercial street of Alcalá par excellence during the Middle Ages, so it was supported almost entirely, to place the stores at street level, while the houses were on the upper floor (with a gallery that communicated to the inhabitants of the different homes without having to descend to the public thoroughfare).

Miguel de Cervantes’ place of birth has long been debated and questioned, and it wasn’t until 1948 that Luis Astrana Marín, author of The Heroic and Exemplary Life of Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, proclaimed this very building as such. The property is situated in the historic old city of Alcalá de Henares, next to the ‘Hospital de Antezana’, where the writer’s father, Rodrigo de Cervantes, worked.
As a result of this discovery, the Alcalá de Henares City Council bought the property in 1954 to establish a Cervantes museum.
The current Museum, inaugurated in 1956 as the ‘Cervantes Museum and Library’, is a product of the reconstruction work done to the original property. The reconstruction involved the creation of a garden and a new entranceway at number 48 Calle Mayor. It had previously been located at number 2 Calle Imagen. By way of Royal Decree 680/1985 of April 19 the Casa Natal de Cervantes was given over to the Community of Madrid.

Cathedral Magistral of Saints Justo and Pastor, stands as throughout the Middle Ages was the center of the town. With a concentric circle structure, this place departed the various streets leading to the gates of the walled enclosure. In addition to its status as a religious center, it was to turn the political and social center of Alcala. in the Plaza de Abajo and Picota the council houses were located.
Its origin dates back to the martyrdom of Justo and Pastor, happened in this place at the beginning of the fourth century, as the cathedral stands on the site where according to tradition were beheaded and buried martyrs Justo and Pastor. On earlier buildings, from 1497 it begins to build in Gothic style, the current building by decision of Cardinal Cisneros, entrusting the work to Anton and Enrique Egas brothers, aided by complutense Pedro Gumiel. The Church has dignity reinstating Cathedral of the Diocese Complutense in 1991.