Paseo de la Castellana

Paseo de la Castellana
Type	Street
Length	6.3 km (3.9 mi)
Location	Madrid, Spain
South end	Plaza de Colón
North end	M-30

Paseo de la Castellana,^{[n. 1]} commonly known as La Castellana, is a major thoroughfare in Madrid, Spain. Cutting across the city from south to north, it has been described as the "true structuring axis" of the city.^[1]

History and description

The street was formerly a thalweg partially along which the Arroyo de la Castellana flowed towards its emptying in the Abroñigal.^[2] The Fuente Castellana, which was the main source of the Arroyo de la Castellana^[2] and, according to Cervantes, a spring with "extremely cold waters",^[3] was located near the current day plaza de Emilio Castelar.^[3]

The waterstream, formerly used as dump, was channeled in 1807.

Isabella,^[5] although it was popularly known as Paseo de la Fuente Castellana.^[4] The tree planting ensued for some years.^[6]

In the 1930s, during the

Madrid City Council voted to rename streets throughout the capital, reinstating those had prior to the Second Republic;^[9] these measures, passed with the votes of the PSOE and PCE municipal councillors, were opposed by the UCD councillors.^[9]

La Castellana is prolongation of the Paseo de Recoletos and the Paseo del Prado, and these three avenues vertebrate the north-south axis of the city. The street starts at Plaza de Colón,^[10] ending at its junction with the M-30 ring road,^[10] the so-called Nudo Norte. It passes through the Plaza de Lima, Plaza de Cuzco and the Plaza de Castilla.

The districts of

Hispanoamérica, Nueva España and Castilla

neighborhoods) lie to the east.

The financial center of Madrid is located along La Castellana or its immediate proximity, comprising locations such as AZCA, Puerta de Europa, and the CTBA.^[11] The street also features several embassies and hotels.^[12] Other landmarks found along this street include the Palacio de Congresos,^[12] the headquarters of the Ministry of Defence,^[12] and the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.