Biciclet(r)a: Literary Biking Madrid

The title “Bicicletra” is a hybrid of the Spanish terms for ‘bike’ and ‘letter’/‘literature’.
The project maps literature - in various forms - in the urban space of Madrid. It offers a net of literary places and literary times.

Imagine you come to a place such as Puerta del Sol, it is imprinted with history, artefacts as well as recent events and people. Our project wants to offer a literary experience of Madrid which goes beyond touristic visits of central places and recognizable monuments. It tells stories of the city’s literary history and present, guided by individual impressions of the urban and your own path choices. The map can be used to explore literary spots: users will find a variety of texts, pictures, photos and films which also manifest how literature has changed in time.

Topically Bicicletra focuses on the intersection of political crisis and literary creativity. It embraces three epochs of political movements and times of transition that have shaped or continue to shape the urban space of Madrid: Indignados, La Movida Madrilena and the Spanish Civil War. Poetry, street art, literary excerpts and urban artefacts manifest the Zeitgeist and historical upheavals.

Currently only a website of the project is available, however our goal is to develop a mobile phone app which would enable a more individual and immersive experience of Madrid. If you are interested in our app concept, follow the link: http://bicicletra.wix.com/bicicletra.