Alcalá de Henares , meaning
Citadel on the river Henares, is a
Spanish city whose historical centre is one of
UNESCO's
World Heritage Sites. The city stands out for its rich archaeology and was one of the first bishoprics founded in Spain. Located in the
Autonomous Community of
Madrid, northeast of the city of
Madrid, at an altitude of above sea level, it has a population of around 200,000. Locally, the city is generally known simply as "Alcalá", but "de Henares" is appended when needed to differentiate it from a dozen Spanish cities sharing the name
Alcalá (from the
Arabic word
al-qal'a القلعة for fortification or citadel). The
Latin name,
Complutum, is sometimes used. The city is capital of its namesake region,
Comarca de Alcalá.