Madrid is full of fascinating legends and unsolved mystery stories that are worth knowing. And so, we tell you some known legends and others not so well known that exist in the capital. Did you know any
The ghost of the Linares Palace
This legend begins with the love between José de Murga and Raimunda Osorio. A love that was later truncated when both discovered that they were brothers.
José was the son of a well-known official and the young woman had been the result of an extramarital affair.
José’s father tried to break the relationship, but it was not until his death when he explained the reasons for his attempt to separate them through a letter. However, the couple had already married and when they discovered the truth they decided to ask a papal bull to Pius IX, which allowed them to remain married but live in chastity.
The real problem begins when Raimundita is born. The marriage, to hide it, decided to kill her and buried her body in the Palacio de Linares.
As they say, the girl’s ghost walks through Casa América, crying, screaming and even singing.
The cursed house
In the number 3 of Antonio Grilo street is the well-known “damn house” Madrid, because there have been several crimes committed between its walls.
In 1945, a man was killed while sleeping.
But the most shocking happened on May 1, 1962. A well-known tailor murdered his wife and five children and then exhibited their bodies on the balcony before committing suicide.
Two years later, a woman killed her baby and hid it in her closet drawer until it was discovered.
There are many theories about the reasons for such events, including that it is a diabolical spirit that drives those who live in the house crazy.
Madrid people are “cats”
The denomination of ‘cats’ to Madrid people comes from the 11th century, in the middle of the campaign to reconquer the troops of Alfonso VI, when they besieged the old Mayrit (Madrid).
Legend has it that a brave soldier climbed the strong Muslim wall alone with the help of a dagger. Already above, he changed the Arab flag to the Christian one.
His feat was followed by many of his companions and they were all called “cats” because of their way of climbing, nickname inherited by the inhabitants of the city.
The headless man of San Ginés
At the end of the 16th century, thieves entered the famous church of San Ginés to steal jewels and gold. However, they did not notice the presence of a man who was praying at the time and was brutally murdered by thieves, who cut off his head.
Since then, they say that this man’s ghost roams the church protecting him from theft.
The crime of the street of the head
In a house on this road near Tirso de Molina, a Portuguese servant cut off the head of the priest he served to steal all his gold and flee. The servant left no clues and the crime remained unsolved.
Years later, the Portuguese returned to Madrid as a wealthy aristocrat and, walking along the Trail, bought a ram’s head for his dinner. Stored under his cloak, the man was leaving a trail of blood on his way home, drawing the attention of a watchman, who asked him what he was hiding. The former servant agreed to show him the head of the animal, but what he took from his cloak was the head of the murdered religious.
The former servant was arrested and sentenced to death.