The capital of Spain situated in the heart of the isthmus and right in the center of the Castillian plain 646 meters above sea level, has a population of over three million. A multinational city, a business center, headquarters for the Public Administration, Government, Spanish Parliament and the home of the Spanish Royal Family, Madrid also plays a chief role in both the banking and industrial sectors. An exciting crossroads, Madrid has a contagious appetite for art, music, and epicurean pleasure, and it's turned into a multi-ethnic, up to date urban center while intensely preserving its traditions. The majestic conurbation of Madrid can trace its genesis to the times of Arab Emir Mohamed I (852-886), who planned the construction of a citadel on the left bank of the Manzanares River.