PLAZA DE COLÓN

Description

Essentials about Plaza de Colón in brief

Plaza de Colón is one of the most famous and important squares in Madrid. The square was created in 1893 on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus (sp. Cristóbal Colón). In his honor, the square was named after the navigator and explorer in the service of Spain, and a monument with his statue was erected. In addition, Plaza de Colón is worth a visit because it is also home to the Centro Cultural de la Villa de Madrid (Madrid Cultural Center) and the Jardines del Descubrimiento (Gardens of Discovery) with the Monumento al Descubrimiento de América (Monument to the Discovery of America).

The Columbus monument

The 17-meter-high Columbus Monument was erected in the years 1881 to 1885 in the neo-Gothic style. On a square base with reliefs stands an octagonal column carved in stone, on which is enthroned a three-meter high white marble sculpture of the navigator and discoverer Columbus, created by the sculptor Jerónimo Suñol.

The Centro Cultural de la Villa de Madrid

Below the base of the monument is a fountain with water cascades. From there, stairs lead to the underground Centro Cultural de la Villa de Madrid, a cultural center that hosts a variety of different cultural events from theater to ballet to concerts.

The Jardines del Descubrimiento

In 1977, the Jardines del Descubrimiento added the Monumento al Descubrimiento de América to the Columbus Monument. It is a set of three so-called macro-sculptures in concrete, called Las profecías (The Prophecy), La génesis (The Genesis) and El Descubrimiento (The Discovery). The sculptures by Joaquín Vaquero Turcios include reliefs and inscriptions about the history of the discovery of America.