The Cuesta de Moyano book fair: Intangible Heritage
The Cuesta de Moyano Book Fair is one of the most iconic spaces in Madrid's cultural life, a historical landmark and a living testament to the capital's literary tradition for over a century.
Booksellers and visitors who frequent it "almost like a ritual" identify it as a space of collective memory, intergenerational encounters, and the exchange of experiences. For this reason, in addition to being an open-air book market, it represents a set of cultural practices that form part of the intangible cultural heritage of the Community of Madrid.
History of the fair
The Cuesta de Moyano Book Fair has its roots in the old San Mateo fairs, which were held in Madrid until the end of the 19th century. These fairs, initially dedicated to the sale of fruit, toys, and various household goods, also offered second-hand books, becoming a meeting point for readers and collectors.
In 1919, booksellers began setting up shop in front of the gates of the Royal Botanical Garden on the Paseo del Prado. In 1924, the booksellers erected their temporary book fair on the right-hand side of Claudio Moyano Street, and a year later, the City Council approved a permanent used book market called the Book Fair. The stalls were allocated to 29 men and one woman.
Luis Bellido, then the municipal architect of Madrid, who had built buildings such as the municipal slaughterhouse, designed the emblematic gray wooden booths that would house the booksellers.
During the Spanish Civil War, the Book Fair continued operating despite the difficulties, closing only for 15 days at the beginning of the conflict. In the postwar years, Moyano became a haven for books banned by the censors, establishing networks of trust between booksellers and readers for their clandestine distribution.
Despite some attempts at renovation and several temporary relocations, the fair has survived and maintained its essence on the Cuesta de Moyano to this day. Since 2021, it has been part of the Landscape of Light, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Asset of Cultural Interest of the Intangible Heritage
The book that is offered par excellence at this book fair is the old or second-hand bookYou can find old, unusual, or rare editions. Alongside books, they sell prints, pamphlets, antique maps, magazines, and periodicals—valuable cultural objects that connect generations.
The allocation of stalls was traditionally inherited by family until the third generation. Currently, it is managed through public bidding. Booksellers may purchase books as a result of direct offers from the public, or in response to advertisements for the sale of personal libraries.
The price of used books, especially affordable, is one of the fair's main selling points.
In the 20s, Ramón Gómez de la Serna observed a curious coincidence: the price of an anchovy, fifteen cents, was the same as that of a second-hand book on the Cuesta de Moyano. Inspired by this, he began to call the fair... "the anchovy fair", a nickname that reflected his popular character and his focus on the affordable sale of old books.
The fair has been mentioned in numerous literary and cinematic works, from Trip to the Alcarria, from Camilo José Cela to the poetry collection Revelations, in which Juan Van-Halen dedicates some verses to him.
This is one of Madrid's most iconic literary spaces, where culture is naturally integrated into the urban fabric, a unique example in Madrid and one of the few permanent book fairs in Spain and Europe. Over time, it has become one of the essential pillars of the city's cultural offerings, comparable to the bouquinistes of the banks of the Seine in Paris.
The Cuesta de Moyano Book Fair is open to the public every day of the year.
It is a meeting place for readers, strollers and tourists, but mainly for... booksellers and regular customers, many of them bibliophiles and collectors. Mutual knowledge, sometimes the result of many years of relationship, allows the former to offer personalized recommendations and the latter to request unique specimens, creating a network of exchanges of knowledge and experiences that reinforces the community and specialized character of the Fair.
Likewise, several associations have been created seeking the survival of the fair, such as the Cuesta de Moyano Booksellers Association, the citizens' association Soy de la Cuesta.
The book that is offered par excellence at this book fair is the old or second-hand bookYou can find old, unusual, or rare editions. Alongside books, they sell prints, pamphlets, antique maps, magazines, and periodicals—valuable cultural objects that connect generations.
The allocation of stalls was traditionally inherited by family until the third generation. Currently, it is managed through public bidding. Booksellers may purchase books as a result of direct offers from the public, or in response to advertisements for the sale of personal libraries.
The price of used books, especially affordable, is one of the fair's main selling points.
In the 20s, Ramón Gómez de la Serna observed a curious coincidence: the price of an anchovy, fifteen cents, was the same as that of a second-hand book on the Cuesta de Moyano. Inspired by this, he began to call the fair... "the anchovy fair", a nickname that reflected his popular character and his focus on the affordable sale of old books.
The fair has been mentioned in numerous literary and cinematic works, from Trip to the Alcarria, from Camilo José Cela to the poetry collection Revelations, in which Juan Van-Halen dedicates some verses to him.
This is one of Madrid's most iconic literary spaces, where culture is naturally integrated into the urban fabric, a unique example in Madrid and one of the few permanent book fairs in Spain and Europe. Over time, it has become one of the essential pillars of the city's cultural offerings, comparable to the bouquinistes of the banks of the Seine in Paris.
The Cuesta de Moyano Book Fair is open to the public every day of the year.
It is a meeting place for readers, strollers and tourists, but mainly for... booksellers and regular customers, many of them bibliophiles and collectors. Mutual knowledge, sometimes the result of many years of relationship, allows the former to offer personalized recommendations and the latter to request unique specimens, creating a network of exchanges of knowledge and experiences that reinforces the community and specialized character of the Fair.
Likewise, several associations have been created seeking the survival of the fair, such as the Cuesta de Moyano Booksellers Association, the citizens' association Soy de la Cuesta.
