What is the capital city of Spain?

The capital city of Spain is Madrid. Located near the center of the Iberian Peninsula, Madrid is Spain’s political, administrative, economic, and cultural heart.

Madrid’s origins reach back to a Muslim fortress established during the 9th century under the name Mayrit or Maǧrīṭ. Christian forces captured the settlement in 1085, and the city gradually grew in importance. King Philip II made Madrid the permanent seat of the Spanish royal court in 1561, helping establish its lasting role as the country’s capital.

The city is home to Spain’s national government, parliament, and Supreme Court. It is also a major European center for business, transport, education, and the arts. The “Golden Triangle of Art”—the Prado Museum, Reina Sofía, and Thyssen-Bornemisza museums—makes Madrid especially notable for its collections.

A common mix-up is Barcelona, Spain’s second-largest city and capital of Catalonia. Barcelona is internationally famous and highly influential, but Madrid is the national capital. Madrid also gives its name to the autonomous community that surrounds and includes the city.