into the Jarama within the municipal limits of Rivas Vaciamadrid. Historical importance The river Manzanares, although small and relatively unimportant geographically, has had a great historical importance due to its close relation to the city of Madrid, which was founded by the Moors as a citadel overlooking the river in the ninth century. The river is also featured in many paintings of the late 18th to early 19th-century painter Francisco de Goya, which show traditionally dressed Madrileños in activities like dancing or having picnics next to the river. The Manzanares was also an important defence line for the Republican forces during the Siege of Madrid in the Spanish Civil War, and many bunkers can still be seen near the village of Perales del Río. The Bridge of the French was of crucial importance because of its strategic location. There, nationalist forces were repeatedly repelled and denied access to Madrid’s city centre. See also List of rivers of Spain Praga Bridge Puente de Segovia Arganzuela Footbridge Bridge of Toledo References Citations Bibliography Rivers of Spain Geography of Madrid Tributaries of the Jarama Rivers of the Community of Madrid