Puerta de Atocha (city gate) facts for kids

The Puerta de Atocha was an important gate in the old city walls of Madrid, Spain. It was part of the Walls of Philip IV, which protected the city. This gate got its name because it was near an old church called the Convento de Nuestra Señora de Atocha. The Puerta de Atocha was taken down in 1850. Today, the area where it stood is close to the Paseo de las Delicias [es].

An old picture from the 1800s showing the Puerta de Atocha and the Fountain de la Alcachofa, both designed by Ventura Rodríguez.

History of the Gate

The Puerta de Atocha was added to the Walls of Philip IV in 1748. It replaced an older gate known as the Puerta de Vallecas [es]. The final version of the gate was built in 1769.

Who Built It?

The famous architect Ventura Rodríguez designed this last gate. He was also involved in improving other gates in Madrid around the same time. These included the well-known Puerta de Alcalá and the Puerta de Bilbao [es]. Another architect, Francesco Sabatini, worked on the other two gates.

Why It Was Demolished

Even though it was an important gate, some people thought it wasn't grand enough for Madrid. In 1826, a book called Diccionario geográfico-estadístico de España y Portugal mentioned that the gate didn't look important enough.

The Puerta de Atocha was finally taken down in 1850. This happened to make way for new construction. The area was needed for the Atocha railway station.

A New Name for a New Era

In 1992, a new high-speed train terminal was built. This terminal is for the Alta Velocidad Española trains. It was named Puerta de Atocha in honor of the old gate that once stood there. This way, the gate's memory lives on.