- published: 12 Aug 2010
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Aravaca is a [city] of the province of Madrid, in the Moncloa district. It is 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) from the city centre, on the other side of Casa de Campo park. The population of the barrio is 29,547 (January 2006), divided between three areas: Aravaca (23,145), Valdemarín (4,000) and El Plantío (2,469)
During the Spanish Civil War, Aravaca was on the front line for three years in the Siege of Madrid (1936-39). One may still find military bunkers used by Franco's attacking troops in the parks and woods. The old town was completely devastated and was rebuilt in the forties. Dating from this years are the parish church and some houses in Baja de la Iglesia street, all designed in the old Castilian style.
Until 1951 Aravaca was an independent city within Madrid province with its own town hall and mayor. During the long Spanish postwar period (1940-1959) millions of Spaniards left their homes in the poor provinces to migrate to industrial areas such as Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and the Basque Country. Aravaca grew quickly between 1950 and 1980 and became a middle-class residential suburb.
Moncloa-Aravaca (also named Moncloa) is one of the 21 districts of the city of Madrid, Spain.
The district is administratively divided into 7 wards (Barrios):
Media related to Moncloa-Aravaca at Wikimedia Commons