At the beginning of the 1960s, Madrid had a population of more than two million. Migrants flocked to Madrid in the 1950s and 1960s largely due to its expanding industrial belt, creating a complex population that reflects the Spanish country as a whole.
The 1960s were marked by speculative land development, uncontrolled urban sprawl, and industrial development that directly impacted the city’s cultural heritage, as in many European cities. A plan for the absorption of the shacks included the construction of thirty thousand homes over five years, exclusively for rehousing. The unauthorized construction problem had risen to the top of the official list of concerns, and the response was no longer repressive but also social. The 1963 plan redirected growth without controlling it. Most of the city’s most valuable buildings are protected by legislation passed in the 1980s and 1990s, and there is a focus on preserving older buildings, even if only some of them can be saved. During that time, remodeling programs were inaugurated, and tens of thousands of new residences were constructed
Here are some fabulous historical photos that will take you back to the 1960s in Madrid, Spain.
