This is a type of horse-drawn carriage. (It was first manufactured in the German city of Berlin, which is why it is called a Berlina in Spanish.) It was drawn by two horses and could take two people with one or two drivers or coachmen.
Today it is kept in the museum because of its relation to General Juan Prim y Prats. He was a soldier and politician who was President of the Spain’s Council of Ministers from 1869 to 1870, and was assassinated in this very carriage in the old street Calle del Turco, after leaving Parliament in Madrid.
This car belongs to the American brand Marmon which manufactured cars from 1902 to 1933. It was one of the main car makes of its time, along with others like Cadillac or Packard.
This motor car had three gears and could reach 115 km/h. Its license plate says "ARM 121" which stands for "Automóvil Rápido Militar" or “Fast Military Automobile”, and on its two rear doors you can see painted the coat of arms of the Spanish Houses of Parliament. That is because this car was used by Eduardo Dato, president of the Spanish Council of Ministers between 1920 and 1921, who was assassinated while travelling in this car.
The Museum holds other historical means of transport, such as two Harley Davidson motorcycles. These motorcycles belong to the history of the Alcazar of Toledo, the building the museum is in. During the Spanish Civil War, these motorcycles were used to power electrical devices like radio transmitters, and even to start up flour mills for making bread.
