Calle de García de Paredes

The name honors Diego García de Paredes, born in Trujillo in 1468, an infantry captain in the wars of Italy, North Africa, and Navarre in the service of Ferdinand and Isabella and later of Charles V. His comrades nicknamed him “the Samson of Extremadura” after he held out for three days on the walls of Cephalonia. A repertoire of legends grew around his strength. It is said that, courting a lady by night, he tore out the iron grille blocking his way, and so no one would gossip he tore out every other grille on the street too. The street was named in 1860, as the new Chamberí was being laid out, and runs between Bravo Murillo and paseo de la Castellana.