Alcala de Henares is the one which represents the history of Spain with various historical arts and architectures. It is one of the most important cities in Spain which is situated about 35km northeast of Madrid.
There are some of the historical places in the world which fall under the list of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites due to the historical as well as traditional legacy. Alcala de Henares is also one of them which is located about an altitude of 588 meters from the sea level and was listed in the UNESCO's World Heritage Site in 1998 due to its artistic and historical heritage. This city is famous for the oldest University which was founded by Cardinal Cisneros in 1499 that fall under the list of World Heritage Site. It is the birthplace of Miguel de Cervantes who was the famous Spanish writer.
The history of Alcala de Henares begins from the Henares river valley which was developed in the Calcolithic. The territory was captured by the Roman in the first century and developed as a city of Complutum near by Iplacea. All the territories were covered with 10,000 Romans and made it a Roman city in Madrid. The Romans began to rule over the city by implementing their own rules and regulations. This historical city was developed as a market place in 1118 and given the name of Castile during the Christian regime. It is the historical place where Christopher Columbus had visited the then King and Queen- Ferdinand and Isabella who had supported him financially for his travel to discover the America. This city has given birth to Miguel de Cervantes in 1547 who is the famous author in the history of Alcala de Henares.
Alcala de Henares continuously went on the way of development due to which the University- Colegio de San Iidefonso was established in 1499 that was the first university in the history of Spain. The University focused to teach Spanish language to the general public in Alcala de Henares.
Most of the territories of the city have been covered with historical arts and architectures which give the reflection of Spanish cultures. There are many historical sightseeing such as- Tower of the old Castle of Alcala La Vieja, Laredo Palace, Santos Ninos Cathedral, Oidor Church, Alcala University which give the true introduction of Alcala's history.
Alcala de Henares can be reached easily from Madrid. It has been connected with various roads and railway lines with different cities of Spain. This is absolutely historical city which has distinct image in the history of Madrid as well as Spain.