Pozuelo de Alarcón

Pozuelo de Alarcón (Spanish pronunciation: [poˈθwelo ðe alaɾˈkon]) is a municipality in the Community of Madrid, Spain. Bordering the Moncloa-Aravaca district of Madrid proper to its west, Pozuelo de Alarcón is surrounded by large Mediterranean pine-tree forests: the Casa de Campo, the Monte del Pardo, and the Monte del Pilar. As of 2019, it ranks as the wealthiest municipality in Spain.[2] La Finca, an isolated luxury residential area known by its affluent residents, most notably football players, lies within the municipality bounds.[3]

Pozuelo de Alarcón
View of Pozuelo de Alarcón, looking down the Avenida de Europa.
Flag
Coat of arms
Pozuelo de Alarcón
Pozuelo de Alarcón
Coordinates: 40°26′10″N 3°48′50″W
CountrySpain
RegionCommunity of Madrid
Area
 • Total43.2 km2 (16.7 sq mi)
Highest elevation
690 m (2,260 ft)
Population
 (2018)[1]
 • Total86,172
 • Density2,000/km2 (5,200/sq mi)
Postcode
28223 and 28224
Websitewww.pozuelodealarcon.es

History

Pozuelo has become a low-density residential area during recent decades, as new residential developments have spread over formerly agricultural lands. New transportation infrastructure is approved by the local government. Notable infrastructure developments include the M-40 (the second, counting outwards, of Madrid's ring motorways) and the new 'Metro Ligero' (light rail) line ML2 of the Madrid metro system, which was built in summer 2007 to connect Pozuelo with the Aluche district in the city of Madrid. Two stations also serve Pozuelo: 'Pozuelo' and 'El Barrial-Centro Commercial Pozuelo' of the Madrid area local train system, the 'Cercanias'. Road access is also provided by the A6 and the M503, with the Madrid orbital M40 running to the west.

Pozuelo has one of the highest average per capita incomes in Madrid. According to a report by the Institute of Statistics of the Comunidad de Madrid, Pozuelo's average income level ranks highest, by a notable margin, amongst the municipalities of the Region of Madrid.[4] The standard of living in most of its neighborhoods is high, although some old town-center areas, where a growing economic immigrant population has moved in, are excluded from such wealth.

Pozuelo has a number of urban parks, some of them elongated and serving to separate different areas of the town. The Avenida de Europa is an urban development designed around a wide boulevard.

A distinct religious building in the municipality is the Catholic Church of Santa María de Caná,[5] a post-conciliar brick building by Fernando Higueras.

A right-wing stronghold,[6] the ayuntamiento (the local government institution) has been ruled by political conservatives since the first democratic elections of the modern Spanish democracy took place. The current mayoress, Susana Pérez, was elected in 2016. Among notable people that live there are Real Madrid player Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Sainz, a Spanish World Rally Champion.[7] Sainz was also the first person to be made an honorary citizen of the town in 2010.[8]

The local festivities, the "Fiestas Patronales", take place in July and in the beginning of September.

Climate

Temperatures in Pozuelo de Alarcón are cooler than Madrid's all year round due to its proximity to Madrid's Sierra de Guadarrama Mountains, about 30 kilometers northwest of Pozuelo.

International relations
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Spain

Twin towns – sister cities

Pozuelo de Alarcón is twinned with:[9]

Education
The UCM Faculty of Economics and Businesses

The educative offer is quite wide in the area, with a big number of both private and concerted schools. There is also a significant number of bilingual schools, with The American School of Madrid and the British Council amongst them.[10]

Regarding university education, a secondary campus of the public Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), the Somosaguas Campus, comprising the faculties of Psychology, Economics and Businesses, Political Sciences, Sociology and Social Work, is located in Pozuelo de Alarcón.

The Francisco de Vitoria University (UFV), a private university run by the Legion of Christ,[11] and the ESIC University are also located in the municipality.

People

The Hijo Adoptivo ("adopted son/daughter") honorary title, bestowed by the local government to standout people connected to the municipality but not born in it (as opposed to the equivalent Hijo Ilustre title, bestowed on standout people born in the municipality) has been granted to rally driver Carlos Sainz (2010).[12]

References

Notes
  1. Municipal Register of Spain 2018. National Statistics Institute.
  2. "Pozuelo de Alarcón, el municipio más rico de España". ABC. 30 May 2019.
  3. Mellado, Ana (27 April 2015). "Así son las casas de La Finca de Pozuelo, el paraíso blindado de los futbolistas". ABC.
  4. "Gross Disposable Income by Municipality" (in Spanish). Institute of Statistics of the Comunidad de Madrid.
  5. "Santa Maria de Caná" (in Spanish). Misas.org.
  6. Quedada, Juan Diego (31 May 2019). "Salud, dinero y... la villa de CR7". El País.
  7. RedBull.com - Six of the Best: Carlos Sainz moments Retrieved 17 September 2010
  8. RallyBuzz.com - Volkswagen factory driver Carlos Sainz honoured Archived 2011-07-28 at Archive.today 24 November 2010
  9. "Ciudades hermanadas". pozuelodealarcon.org (in Spanish). Pozuelo de Alarcón. Retrieved 2019-12-30.
  10. "SpainInvite1.pdf Archived 2017-02-08 at the Wayback Machine." Posted on recuerdo.net. Retrieved on August 3, 2016. "The American School of Madrid Calle America 3 Pozuelo de Alarcon 28223 Spain"
  11. Bedoya, Juan G. (1 February 2008). "Marcial Maciel, fundador de los Legionarios de Cristo". El País.
  12. "El piloto Carlos Sainz, distinguido como Hijo Adoptivo de Pozuelo de Alarcón". elEconomista. 15 June 2019.
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