Plaza de Colón (Madrid)

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Plaza de Colón.

Plaza de Colón is located in the Alonso Martínez district of Madrid, Spain. This plaza and its fountain commemorate the explorer Christopher Columbus, whose name in Spanish was Cristóbal Colón.

[edit] Monuments

Monument to Christopher Columbus.

The plaza, originally called "Plaza de Santiago" (St. James Square), was renamed "Plaza de Colón" in 1893 to honour Christopher Columbus. The square contains two monuments.

On the Paseo de la Castellana side there is a monument to Columbus built in 1885. This is a statue of Columbus standing at the pinnacle of a tall column. He appears to be pointing west, indicating the route he would take towards the islands of the Caribbean.

The second monument on the Calle Serrano side consists of concrete macro-sculptures by Joaquín Vaquero Turcios. The concrete blocks are decorated with inscriptions by philosophers and indigenous leaders.

[edit] Other features

The gardens in the plaza are known as the "Jardines del Descubrimiento" (Gardens of Discovery), where the Royal Mint was located until 1970.

At the base of the Columbus monument is a large fountain with a broad cascade of water. There are steps leading under the cascade and beneath the plaza, where the roar of the fountain is amplified. Under the plaza along with the Centro Cultural de la Villa de Madrid (Madrid City Cultural Centre) lies a stop for a special shuttle that takes passengers to Barajas Airport.

At the other side of the Plaza are the twin Torres de Colón.