Dos de Mayo Fest on the 2nd of May

On May 2, 1808, the people of Madrid rose up against Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon's brother, to free themselves of French rule. Thus began the 6-year War of Independence and, along with it, a new concept of Spain delineated by the country's first constitution. Madrid celebrates this beloved uprising around the Plaza de 2 de mayo in Malasaña, an important battle site and, since then, a counterculture epicenter (see La Movida). Police have more or less lifted the outdoor drinking ban in the plaza just for this occassion after years of prohibition, reviving the Dos de Mayo spirit.