museum
Museo Reina Sofía
Spain's national museum of 20th-century art, home to Picasso's monumental anti-war painting Guernica.
11 km · about 20 min drive
EuropeSpainMadrid
Leganés
Madrid, Spain · Europe
About Leganés
Leganés works well as a base: 5 minutes from Getafe, 54km from Sierra de Guadarrama National Park.
Leganés is in Madrid, Spain, with about 190,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Getafe, about 4 km away.
Leganés (Spanish pronunciation: [leɣaˈnes]) is a municipality and a city in Spain, located within the Community of Madrid. It forms part of the Madrid metropolitan area and is situated 11 kilometers southwest of the capital. With a population of 194,084 inhabitants, it is the fourth most populous municipality in theRead more
Community of Madrid and the thirty-second largest in Spain, according to the list of Spanish municipalities by population.
Situated on a plain in the Inner Plateau of the Iberian Peninsula, Leganés is traversed by the Butarque stream, a tributary of the Manzanares River. It borders the Madrid districts of Carabanchel and Latina to the north, Alcorcón to the west, Getafe and the Madrid district of Villaverde to the east, and Fuenlabrada to the south.
Founded in 1280 as "Legamar" during the reign of Alfonso X of Castile, it later adopted its current name and was incorporated as a village into the jurisdiction of Madrid in 1345. In 1627, it became a village under noble jurisdiction when King Philip IV of Spain established the March of Leganés, a status it retained until feudal privileges were abolished in 1820.
During the mid-20th century, like other municipalities near Madrid, Leganés experienced significant population growth due to immigration from other Spanish regions, transforming it into a commuter town where most residents worked in the capital. Over time, Leganés developed its own robust array of public services, industries, and commercial enterprises, becoming a significant contributor to the Community of Madrid.
The city is home to historical landmarks such as the former Santa Isabel Psychiatric Hospital, opened in 1851 as one of Spain's first asylums; the Royal Walloon Guards Barracks, designed by Francesco Sabatini in the 18th century and now part of the Charles III University of Madrid; and ecclesiastical heritage, including the Polvoranca Hermitage and a Baroque altarpiece by José de Churriguera. The municipality also encompasses the Polvoranca Park, one of the largest semi-urban parks in the Community of Madrid.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Leganés?
Within an hour or so of Leganés: Museo Reina Sofía (11 km), Plaza Mayor (11 km), Royal Palace of Madrid (11 km), Museo del Prado (11 km).
Are there any good drives near Leganés?
The nearest famous roads are Puerto del Pico.
Where is Leganés?
Leganés is in Madrid, Spain, about 4 km from Getafe.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 188,425
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Spain
- Region
- Madrid
- Timezone
- Europe/Madrid
- Coordinates
- 40.3272, -3.7635
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Spain
Guardia Civil (traffic police): 062. Two warning triangles required in vehicles.
Full driving guide for SpainTags
Worth the detour from Leganés
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
Plaza Mayor
Grand 17th-century rectangular plaza in central Madrid surrounded by three-storey residential buildings with 237 balconies.
11 km · about 20 min drive
landmark
Royal Palace of Madrid
Largest functioning royal palace in Europe with over 3,400 rooms, the official residence of the Spanish royal family.
11 km · about 20 min drive
museum
Museo del Prado
Spain's premier art museum with an unrivaled collection of European art, including masterworks by Velázquez, Goya, and El Greco.
11 km · about 20 min drive
racetrack
Circuito del Jarama
A tight, twisting 3.4km circuit north of Madrid designed by John Hugenholtz that hosted nine Spanish Grands Prix. Still active for club racing and track days, largely unchanged since the 1970s.
36 km · about 40 min drive
landmark
El Escorial
A vast granite royal monastery and palace at the foot of the Guadarrama mountains, burial place of Spanish kings.
44 km · about 50 min drive
national park
Sierra de Guadarrama National Park
Granite peaks and pine forests north of Madrid, with the Puerto de Navacerrada pass beloved by drivers and skiers.
54 km · about 60 min drive
landmark
Toledo Historic City
A hilltop maze of Moorish, Jewish and Christian monuments wrapped by the Tagus river, Spain's former imperial capital.
57 km · about 65 min drive
Driving in Spain
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€1.55/litre
- Motorway tolls
- ~€4.00/100km
When to drive here
April to October
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