Above: Hot spring at Hammam al Ándalus, Madrid

The Moors founded Madrid at the end of the ninth century on the banks of the Manzanares River. The etymology of the name is disputed, but one plausible version is that it stems from the Arabic maǧrà (“water” or “stream”) or majrit (“spring” or “fountain”). Majrit was Romanized as Magerit in the first documented name of the place. Moorish culture, in particular its fascination with water, left a deep and enduring imprint on the city. Today, Madrileños still love the rituals of a North African hammam.

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Above: Hot spring at Hammam al Ándalus, Madrid

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