The origin of la movida madrileña
On the other side of Fuencarral street, Chueca turns into Malasaña, and the chic feel gives way to the Bohemian air you can breathe in the streets of this neighbourhood which name honours the embroiderer Manuela Malasaña.
The story of this young embroiderer dates back to the times of the French occupation, when after the Uprising of May 2nd, the revolt was suppressed, and Manuela Malasaña was detained and shot because she had scissors in her hands.
However, the recent history of Malasaña is much nicer. The neighbourhood was during the 80’s the centre of the cultural movement that lead the way to the profound social changes that occurred after the death of the dictator Franco, and the arrival of democracy to Spain.
That punk and transgressive movement was known as movida madrileña, and welcomed all the art expressions that were before repressed by the Franco regime.
