Alcala de Henares is a city situated near the Henares River, in the Autonomous Community of Madrid, 30 km from Madrid, the capital city of Spain. - AsNotedIn

Founded by Cardinal Jimenez de Cisneros in the early 16th century, Alcala de Henares was the world's first planned university city. It was the original model for the Civitas Dei (City of God), the ideal urban community which Spanish missionaries brought to the Americas. It also served as a model for universities in Europe and elsewhere.