MadridMadridMadrid: An Instagram Account Dedicated to Sharing Old Photos of Madrid

She defines herself as a Madrilea in love with her city. Her life takes place in the capital, so much so that she cannot imagine anywhere other than here, where she lived her childhood and, now, her adulthood. adviser of Image y Protocolspecialized in Marketing y Social networks, Tamara Quiroga She is the creator of an Instagram account that has been sharing old photos of Madrid for ten years.

The way of Tamara on the net started in a completely different context. At first, she managed a fashion blog, but when she realized that she was not passionate about this world, he tried to find another way to communicate his day to day and share it with her followers.

The idea of ​​creating something related to this city came from his family, who, fond of everything that has to do with traditions, brought him closer to local legends from an early age. My father used to tell me stories about Madrid to go to bed and not Little Red Riding Hood like the rest of my classmates of the same age.declares.

One day, looking for an idea that caught his attention, he discovered by chance a folder saved on a computer at home. Inside her were some black and white images of a Madrid that she had not known in the first person, but that she knew from the stories of her relatives. So he decided to create an Instagram profile entirely dedicated to the city’s past and called it MadridMadridMadrid.

The first photo that he published -taken at the beginning of the 20th century- had as its protagonist the little fountain in Arganzuela street, where people can be seen collecting water. Image after image, her profile grew rapidly and one of her snapshots was shared by the well-known singer. Alaska. At Christmas 2022 I published a photo of two children who put a letter in the mailbox for the Three Wise Men. Alaska uploaded this image on her social networks and for me it was the beginning of a real success, she says, satisfied.

His profile, which now has more than 15.000 followers, is one of the most appreciated among the people of Madrid and lovers of old and traditional prints. I like to share images depending on the season we are in. What I do is make a series with a single topic, which can be the Christmashe mother’s day o San Isidroexplains the influencer.

His audience, mostly adults, very often tells him about their experiences in those times and, sometimes, expresses his melancholy at a past that will never return. Among the people who comment on my posts, many say that life was good at that time, maybe even better. I know it’s true that Gran Vía before, especially after the 50s, was like Broadway, full of cinemas. Now the special essence that was breathed has been lost a bit, however, what I tell you is that it is neither worse nor better, it is different, she declares.

Although it seems simple, the search process that Tamara carries out to share more publications per day can be compared to a real investigation in which she spends many hours. In fact, it is not just about finding the photos of her, but about knowing her meaningare context and what they can contribute to the people who follow this profile.

Most of the images that Tamara has recovered over the years come from archives, old books, and profiles of local and contemporary photographers. Of course, the Internet helps her a lot to quickly find material and stories that may be of interest to her account.

From Madrid, Tamara appreciates above all her pure heart and the fact of being a city that never loses its tradition, even though it is very cosmopolitan and modern. People change, fashion and cars too, but there are structures that have remained the same for centuries. This is impressive and makes this city a unique and special place compared to other locations, he says.

On his page, the people of Madrid recover a part of their own past and also discover some familiar face – to one familiar o amigo– among the many people who star in the portraits. As happened with the story of a young woman who wrote to Tamara because she recognized her grandmother in a photo. It was an image of the Plaza Mayor where some ladies stood with their clay pitchers to sell water, since at that time there were no fountains.

Another girl wrote to me because in a publication on the occasion of Valentine’s Day, valentineHe recognized his grandparents, who probably didn’t even know the photo existed, he says.

And the most interesting thing is that from an image he discovers the history of the city. In fact, there is no historical period that Tamara has not relived through her snapshots.

Of all the images that most caught his attention, he remembers that of an elegant woman leaving a pharmacy in Great Va with her high-heeled shoes, while at the entrance some sacks had been placed as protection. Was 1937 and Spain was in full Civil war. However, the people, who stayed to live in the city, when they could, continued with their rhythm and with their lives, he emphasizes.

Now, when he walks around the capital, he affirms that it seems to him that he is in a movie. When I see a new corner, an image of the past comes to my mind, of how it was before. Among the photos that can be found on his profile is the 1966 flood, an unpublished image of a group of people from Madrid moving around Vallecas in a boat. and the portrait of Raphael sitting in the Great Va in 1965 or a notice to the public of 1917where he Vasco Navarro coffee closed because they raised the rent 6.300 a 15.600 pesetas.

Among her future projects, Tamara admits that she would like to manage an exhibition of old photos so that people can learn about the story behind it. It would be a way to bring together what she is most passionate about, her Madrid, the photos and help the public to recover her memories.

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