Calle de la Montera
The Calle de la Montera is a pedestrian street in the centre of Madrid. Starting from the south, it links the Puerta del Sol and the so-called Red de San Luis (the junction with the Gran Vía). It presents a south-north positive slope. All its path falls within the limits of the Sol neighborhood, in turn part of the Centro District of the Spanish capital. History The popular folklore is fertile in bringing explanations for the name of the street. However the reason for the name is the house of Juan Carlos and Francisco Lamontera, documented to exist in the area by the mid 16th century. By the end of the 17th century the Church of San Luis Obispo was built in the street. During the 18th century Montera was a luxury street. The writer Valle Inclán set in 1920 an scene of his play Bohemian Lights in the street; the place where the "taberna Pica Lagartos" was located. The onset of the 20th century saw the street becoming one of the main commercial streets in the city centre, with a plethora of merceries, shirt-shops, other textile stores, jewellery and shoe-stores. Parts of the street were affected by the construction