​Biciclet(r)a. Literary Biking Madrid
​There are many ways to explore a city. Bicicletra offers a literary experience of Madrid which goes beyond touristic visits of central places. It tells stories of the city’s literary history and present, guided by individual impressions of the urban and your path choices. Use the map to explore literary spots: you will find a variety of texts, pictures, photos and films. Literature appears to be everywhere. Bicicletra does not want to judge WHAT is literature. It points out possibilities of WHERE it could be. It stresses the individual perception of literature and space. Literature is always related to space and space can be influenced by literature and writers. It adds a fourth fictional dimension to space: your projections and imaginations.​
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Topically Bicicletra focuses on the intersection of political crisis and literary creativity. It embraces three epochs of political movements that have shaped or still shape the urban space of madrid: Indignados, Spaniand La Movida Madrilena. Poetry, street art, literary excerpts and urban artefacts manifest the Zeitgeist and historical upheavals.
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​How to use Bicicletra?
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On the website you will find maps that locate literature in Madrid. This content ranges from modern street art to written impressions of places and literary history of the city. You can access Bicicletra at home on your computer/laptop or download the content for mobile use. PDFs allow you to find your way in between different points of interest. There are two options: we have included maps that show spots and routes and maps without routes. So you can choose between finding your own way or following our suggestions.
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Why Madrid by bike?
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Biking comes with a good pace for exploration. It allows you to experience the city in the flow. Public transports like metro fragment your perception of the city and predetermine the paths you take and places you go to. On the bike you are in interaction with the city, you choose the pace of your movement, the places you pass by and points to stop at.
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Bicicletra also privileges the periphery and wants to take you to places apart from the popular center. Some of the spots are in parks and the next metro station might be far away. Also, lending a bike is cheap in Madrid (see our links to different providers).
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Production background:
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The project is part of a course on digital literature which has taken place at Complutense University in Madrid in summer 2012. It has been inspired by our own exploration of the city. It is a contribution to locating literature in the urban space.
