4 century-old shops and traditional establishments in the centre of Madrid

During your sightseeing tour around the Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol In Madrid, you have the opportunity to see some of the century-old and more traditional establishments that is in the capital.

Some are the kind of stores that are no longer seen, where they sell products that are not very common or not at all common, and in many cases, they maintain a family tradition.

But also modernized establishments, but which have a historical origin.

Facing your getaway to Madrid, where you will walk through these areas of the historic center, below we are going to highlight four Centennial shops and establishments, which you will surely find very curious to see.

El Kinze, a century-old hair salon in Cuchilleros

In the surroundings of the Plaza Mayor you will find the oldest barbershop in Madrid.

This is the El Kinze de Cuchilleros Hair Salon, which you will find going down from the Plaza Mayor by Knife Bow, at number 15 of this street, next to the centenary Sobrino de Botín restaurant.

La El Kinze de Cuchilleros Hair Salon opened its doors in the year 1900 , being its first owner Eladio Gurumeta.

As this traditional barbershop did not have any commercial name, it finally took as its name the number of the street where it is located.

Thus, the Kinze of Cuchilleros, which is what the hair salon is currently called, shows us a traditional decoration, with numerous souvenirs and old photographs hanging on its walls, and elements typical of the old barber shops in Madrid, such as the same armchair that is displayed on its door.

Casa Hernanz Espadrilles

A traditional store that will catch your attention is the Casa Hernanz Espadrilles, which you find at the beginning of the Toledo street from the Plaza Mayor, specifically at number 18.

This establishment was opened to the public in 186o as cordage and espadrilles, and currently it is one of the espadrille stores most popular in Madrid, which is very crowded in summer.

The espadrilles peasant women became fashionable all over the world in the 60s thanks to the designer Yves Saint Laurent.

And the fashion is still in force today, so that in Hernanz House In the summer, more than 500 pairs of espadrilles are sold every day, despite the strong competition coming from China.

A good part of them are produced by hand by the company itself. Hernandez family, specifically the espadrilles in which the fabric is sewn to the sole that was previously made of esparto grass and is now made of jute.

The current sales success of this simple summer shoe in the Casa Hernanz Espadrilles It is the wide variety of models it sells, with more than 30 different colors and numerous sizes.

La Casa Hernanz Espadrilles is one of centenary establishments in Madrid that have been recognized by the city council, so that when you pass in front of their window, you will be able to see the plaque on the ground that attests to it.

Seseña capes, the tradition of the Spanish cape

In the surroundings of the Puerta del Sol You have the opportunity to see one of the centuries-old establishments and most traditional ones in Madrid, whose prestige transcends our borders.

Is Layers Seseña, an establishment dedicated to artisanal making and sale of the Spanish cape, a tradition that has been maintained since year 1901 .

Located in the 23 Cruz Street, street that connects the Jeronimo Benavente Square with the San Jerónimo Race, Layers Seseña It is run by the descendants of its founder, Saints Seseña.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Cross Street It was a street known in Madrid for its numerous tailor shops where, among other garments, they were made and sold spanish capes, despite the fact that it was already an obsolete garment after the proliferation since the end of the previous century of the MacFerlan coats.

Although the cloak is a garment of warm clothing used throughout the world since before the Roman era, specifically the spanish cape It acquired great prominence in the history of Spain in the 18th century on the occasion of the so-called Esquilache Mutiny.

El Marquis of Esquilache He was the Minister of Economy of the king Carlos III, and had earned himself great unpopularity through various measures taken, but the straw that broke the camel's back, and led to a popular riot, was an order affecting the use of the cape.

With the aim of improving security on the street, and to ensure that criminals did not hide behind the cape, which was then worn very long, he issued an order requiring that the capes had to be short so that the swordsmen could be seen.

Also the traditional ones hats, wide-brimmed hats, had to be replaced by three-cornered hats. After this popular uprising, the king Carlos III was forced to cease his Minister Esquilache.

La Seseña tailoring She soon gained fame for her capes, becoming known as Official supplier of the Royal Family at the time of King Alfonso XIII.

And since then, the most illustrious Spanish and foreign figures became clients of Seseña layers, Among them we can mention Rudolph Valentino, Picasso, Buñuel, Gary Cooper, Federico Fellini o Camilo Jose Cel

In 1966,When Enrique Seseña, grandson of the founder, took the reins of the business, and faced with the decline of the traditional tailoring business, he decided to take the step of leaving the sale of men's clothing and specializing the establishment in making and selling the Spanish cape.

That decision was a success, which significantly increased the business and the world fame of Layers Seseña.

Today, the spanish capes They continue to be made in the same establishment of the Cross Street, handcrafted one by one, with a cloth four to five meters long, from a factory in Béjar, and with velvet inside.

The  Spanish cape prices en Layers Seseña They are around 1.100 euros, although capes with other simpler or bolder designs are sold with prices starting at 600 euros.

It is worth noting that 50 percent of production is sold to foreign customers.

La spanish cape Currently it is a garment that is bought mainly as gift, although it is no longer used on a daily basis as a piece of clothing, but rather to attend events, such as going to the theater or a wedding.

While customers continue to go directly to the century-old establishment of the Cross StreetAlso market over the Internet.

Petit Palace Posada del Peine, one of the oldest hotels in Spain

In your trip to Madrid you have the opportunity to stay in one of the hotels oldest in Spain, historically known as the Comb Inn.

Midway between Puerta del Sol and Plaza Mayor, In Postas Street 17, this historic inn founded in the year 1610, Today it is a modern and comfortable four-star hotel.

El Petit Palace Posada del Peine, currently managed by the hotel chain Hotelatelier Group, was completely restored and reopened in 2005.

The curious name of the Comb Inn This is because travelers were offered the service of “bed, sink and comb“, which remained tied by a rope so that they would not take him away.

When you head to the Plaza Mayor awarded by the Postas Street, on the left you will be surprised by a building with a facade with a burgundy red color and widely ornamented.

This is the current Hotel Petit Palace Posada del Peine, which actually occupies three different buildings.

You will notice that the entrance to the hotel is located in an adjacent building of lower height, with a yellow facade, crowned with a small temple that houses a clock.

In reality this is the building where in 1610 the original Posada del Peine, at that time next to a stop for the coaches that arrived in Madrid.

In 1800, The facilities were expanded by raising the building currently with a reddish façade. And during the 19th century the Posada del Peine continued to be the only hotel establishment in Madrid.

In 1891, was built third building of the Posada del Peine in Madrid, so that after the expansion it had up to 150 rooms.

Finally, it was closed to the public in 1970, until its recent opening.

If you fancy staying in one of the oldest hotels in Madrid, here you can Book your room at the Petit Palace Posada del Peine.