Miguel Ángel Blanco Gardens

Miguel Ángel Blanco Gardens is a small memorial park in Madrid, tucked into the Chamartín district at Calle de Federico Salmón 2. Covering roughly 3,000 square meters, it won't show up in most tourist guides to the Spanish capital, but it carries real symbolic weight for madrileños and for Spain as a whole.

Who was the garden named after?

The gardens honor Miguel Ángel Blanco, a town councilor from Ermua in the Basque Country, who was kidnapped and murdered by the terrorist organization ETA in July 1997. His death triggered one of the largest spontaneous protest movements in modern Spanish history, with millions taking to the streets across the country to condemn terrorist violence. In July 2012, Madrid's City Council unanimously agreed to dedicate one of its green spaces to his memory, and the formal naming resolution was passed in June 2014. The gardens were officially inaugurated by then-mayor of Madrid Ana Botella on July 11, 2014 — the anniversary of Blanco's death.

What will you find there?

This is a modest, quiet green pocket set among the residential streets of Chamartín, with pathways, lawns, and a commemorative plaque dedicated to Miguel Ángel Blanco. The space is primarily memorial in character rather than a full-blown tourist attraction with facilities or viewpoints — it's a place for reflection rather than sightseeing. It's worth a stop if you're interested in Spain's recent history and how the city chooses to remember victims of terrorism.

When is the best time to visit?

You can visit the gardens at any time of year simply as a quiet green space in a calm, residential part of Chamartín. The most significant date, though, is July 11 — the anniversary of Miguel Ángel Blanco's murder. On that day the gardens host annual commemorations and remembrance ceremonies organized by Madrid's city government and victims' associations. Past editions have included symbolic installations, such as hundreds of white hands displayed throughout the garden, echoing the famous 1997 gesture in which Spaniards raised white-painted hands in the streets as a sign of protest against ETA violence.

How do you get there?

The gardens sit in the Chamartín district in northern Madrid, in a quiet residential area well connected to the city center by metro lines and city buses serving the neighborhood. It's a convenient stop if you're exploring the surrounding streets of Chamartín or heading toward Chamartín railway station.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the garden dedicated to? The garden commemorates Miguel Ángel Blanco, a councilor from Ermua who was kidnapped and murdered by ETA in July 1997. His death became a symbol of Spanish society's rejection of terrorism.

When was the garden created and who inaugurated it? The name was formally assigned in 2014, and the gardens were inaugurated by Madrid's then-mayor Ana Botella on July 11, 2014, the anniversary of Blanco's death.

Are any events held there? Yes — every year on July 11, the gardens host anniversary commemorations and remembrance acts, sometimes including symbolic installations referencing the history of ETA's victims.

Is it a large park with tourist attractions? No — it's a small, intimate green space of around 3,000 square meters, with a mainly memorial function rather than tourist infrastructure. Its main value is symbolic and historical rather than recreational.