Calle de José Abascal

The name honors José Abascal y Carredano (1829-1890), a physician and progressive politician who served as mayor of Madrid between 1881 and 1889. He left his mark in both buildings and budgets. He fixed the city council’s finances, authorized the start of work on the Almudena Cathedral and signed the grant for the Aguirre Schools. He lived on the corner with the Paseo de la Castellana, a few steps from the street that now bears his name. The street was born on the outskirts in the late 19th century and locals called it Calle de Buenos Aires. It took the mayor’s name in 1890, the year of his death. In 1941 the Franco regime renamed it General Sanjurjo, and in 1980 it recovered the name José Abascal. At number 40 there was a Citroën dealership, the one where the lead of the film Sor Citroën buys her 2CV.