History
By the end of the 18th century architect José de Hermosilla was entrusted by King Charles III to urbanize the area of the old Bajo Abroñigal (or Valnegral) river, which flew from Chamartín to Plaza Atocha. This gave birth to Paseo del Prado as well to Paseo de Recoletos. The name "Recoletos" was taken from an old convent of Augustinian Recollect friars built in 1592 in the area.
The boulevard originally ended in the old Puerta de Recoletos, a baroque gate built under Ferdinand VI in 1756 and dismantled in 1863. During the Peninsular War this gate (and others of the area) was fortified to fend off the Napoleonic troops. On 3 December 1808 Napoleon I personally directed the attacks against Madrid from the Fuente Castellana (today Plaza de Emilio Castelar). The Batería de Veterinaria (commanded by artillery official Vasallo) held off the troops that were trying to breach Recoletos Gate to surround the Alcalá Gate defenders. The French troops managed to break through El Retiro, outflanking the gates of Recoletos, Alcalá and Atocha, leading to Madrid's capitulation the following day.
During the Civil War the statues and fountains along the Paseo de Recoletos and El Prado were hidden under protection sacks, which led the area to be nicknamed "of the twilight of the gods".
Read more about this topic: Paseo De Recoletos
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