Literary figures in barrio Las Letras
Let’s take a tour through Madrid’s literary district, Las Letras. The area was home to several famous Spanish writers in the 16th and 17th century and today celebrates the country’s rich literary history.
On my first trip to Madrid I sipped my very first vermut the bustling Plaza Santa Ana where we will begin our tour at the monument of Frederico Garcia Lorca. He was a well-known poet and playwright in the 1920s and 1930s in Spain and part of a movement exploring avant-guard forms of art and poetry. He was assassinated at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 at the age of 38. The monument is poignant. The poet is gently cupping a lark in his hands. It’s as if the bird is taking flight.
From this square we can choose any one of the welcoming streets to continue our exploration. Pretty iron balconies adorn the buildings. Lavish tile work decorates facades. Small plazas seem to form haphazardly at pedestrian intersections. Keep your eyes out for centenario plaques. I spotted a farmacia established in 1700 (photo below) that is still in business today.
Not far from Plaza Santa Ana on Calle de las Huertas is Casa Alberto. In addition to its bronze centenario plate on the ground there’s another small plaque above its red facade. This brings us to Spain’s most famous writer: Miguel de Cervantes. The famed author of Don Quixote lived in several places in this neighborhood. One was in an apartment above this tavern. To find another, walk to Calle de Cervantes. He lived and died (in 1616) at number 2 and though the original building was torn down, a special plaque with a carved bust of the writer marks the location.
You can’t enter. There is no museum. However, walk a block down the street and you come to the house of a contemporary of Cervantes. Lope de Vega is one of Spain’s most prolific writers with some 500 plays attributed to him (in addition to novels, novellas and poems). His original house has been transformed into the Lope de Vega museum. If you are wondering, there is also a street named after Lope de Vega, one street over.
The Lope de Vega house and all its contents are original from the 17th century, including the books in his office where a portrait of the writer hangs. The guided tour is a fascinating look at his life and living conditions in 17th century Madrid. Folks held many superstitions to guard of death. For example sleeping upright for a quick escape, keeping curtains closed around the bed so death could not enter, and having children wear symbolic trinkets to keep them safe.
Understandable. Life was difficult, streets were dirty, sanitation was lacking. Lope de Vega enjoyed working in his garden “oasis” in the inner courtyard of the building, a world away from the smelly city on the outside. Despite eating torreznos (essentially bacon) every day for breakfast, he lived a good long life, to age 72.
An interesting fact about the writer is he taught his daughters to read and write. This was unusual in the 17th century. Woman were not allowed to be writers, and if they did write, they did so under a man’s name. One of his daughters became a writer though few of her works survived.
After visiting the museum, you may be ready for a snack. Las Letras has many wonderful places to eat and drink. Perhaps a vermouth in the beautiful Taberna Elisa or a traditional menu del día at Restaurante La Sanabresa? If you have a hankering for something sweet, head to Chocolat for a churro or porra (a larger, airier version of churro).
Let’s end this tour with a walk down Calle de las Huertas. Huertas means “gardens”. Like Lope de Vega’s little garden, the entire area was known for its food gardens centuries ago.
One of my favourite features in Las Letras are the literary quotes inlaid on this pleasing pedestrian street. A shimmer of gold in the smooth grey stone. I love stopping to read them, even if they challenge my basic Spanish, and even if I cause pedestrians to veer around me. Several quotes have been recently added to better represent woman writers (escritorias) in Spain. I spotted three: Emilia Pardo Bazan, Rosalía de Castro y María de Zayas. Reading their words you can feel the struggles these women would have felt to have their voices heard.
I have yet to reach a level of proficiency to read the works of these great Spanish writers. For now, I will content myself with a few thought provoking quotes…and a meander through the barrio of Las Letras any chance I get.
To live is to have opinions, duties, aspirations, ideas.
Emilia Pardo Bazán, Contemporary life (1916)
Only songs of independence and freedom have babbled my lips.
Rosalía de Castro, Leiders (1858)
…for souls are neither male nor female. How, then, can men presume to be wise and presume that women are not?
María de Zayas, Amorous and exemplary novels (1637)
