AZCA
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
_01.jpg/270px-AZCA_(Madrid)_01.jpg)
Acronym for Asociación Mixta de Compensación de la Manzana A de la Zona Comercial de la Avenida del Generalísimo ("Mixed Association for Compensation of the A Block of the Commercial Area of the Avenue of the Generalissimo"; the avenue is currently named Paseo de la Castellana), in Madrid (Spain)
It is the financial district in downtown Madrid between the streets Raimundo Fernández Villaverde, Orense, General Perón and Paseo de la Castellana. Its original conception (and its name) dates back to the "Plan General de Ordenación Urbana de Madrid", approved in 1946. The purpose of this plan was to create a huge block of modern office buildings with metro and railway connections in the expansion area of northern Madrid, just in front of Real Madrid stadium (currently named the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium) and beside the brand new government complex of Nuevos Ministerios. A botanical garden, a library and an opera house were also included in the plans, but these were never built.
The construction began in the 1970s after many delays. Nowadays some of the tallest and most beautiful modern Madrid skyscrapers are placed here. The most important are:
- Torre Picasso (157 meters)
- Torre Europa (121 meters)
- Torre BBVA (107 meters)
In February 2005, Windsor Tower (106 meters) was destroyed by a fire.
During the weekend nights, the underground levels attract a Latino audience to the discos but they also have a reputation for gang violence[1].
In 2007, a new sksycraper area is being built farther north along Castellana, beyond the M-30 beltway.
[edit] References
- ^ Que la violencia no vuelva a Azca, El Mundo, 7 February 2006.
[edit] External links
- Satellite AZCA view from Google Earth
- (Spanish) Complejo AZCA. A description.
