The Puerta del Sol of Madrid ,part V !!!

Posted in Europe, Madrid, Spain

We were back to my dear Spain again !! love it !! We came by car of course and took time to see new areas and old repeat with some of them as introduction to my sons and our dog Rex ! I rented a small house in a off the beaten path country town that was just perfect ! I like to continue the saga of our new road warrior experiences even if now with less in our family, This post is on my latest road warrior tour of wonderful sublime  Spain. Therefore, let me tell you about the Puerta del Sol of Madrid ,part V !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.

Madrid Puerta del Sol Christmas tree dec24

The Puerta del Sol  is one of the most famous and lively squares in Madrid.  It was originally one of the gates to cross the wall that surrounded Madrid in the 15C. Its name comes from the fact that at the front of one of its buildings was once a sundial.  A plaque represents the zero kilometer point (Kilómetro cero) of the Spanish roads, and represents the symbolic center of the country, from distances are measure. I spent many childhoods days here first with my dear late mother/father  Gladys/Elio, and later bringing my family ,and my dear late wife Martine love it with me, especially the shopping !! The boys love it too, and it has become a must stop each time in Madrid, that thanks God has been many times in my life time. If you read my blog you know why. From Madrid to heaven and a hole in the sky to look down on it every day !. Or De Madrid al Cielo y un agujero en él para mirarla todos los dias. Enough said.

At the entrance to Calle Alcalá, from Puerta del Sol to Canillejas, you can see the statue symbolizing Madrid: the bear and the strawberry tree or el oso y el madroño. Statue of the Bear and the Strawberry Tree, is the work of the sculptor Antonio Navarro Santafé and was inaugurated in 1967. located at the start Calle de Alcalá,is one of the most popular points of encounters of the capital.

Madrid Puerta del Sol el madroño dec24

At the other extreme of the square you see the  Mariblanca  fountain, now gone but in its  memory a reproduction of the sculpture that adorned it was placed in 1986. Statue of the Mariblanca. The original, which is in the Casa de la Villa,the statue was part of a fountain installed in Puerta del Sol. The Mariblanca located between 1630 and 1838 crowned the Fountain of the Mariblanca, (aka Fuente de la Fé, Fuente del Buen Suceso , Fuente de Venus or Diana, Fuente de las Arpias or first ornamental fountain (Fuente)  of the Puerta del Sol). In the last third of the 20C a smaller copy was made that since 1986 has had different emplacements at the Puerta del Sol, while the original moved from the Paseo de Recoletos, in which it was from 1969, to the vestibule of the Casa de la  Villa , after its restoration in 1985.

Madrid Puerta del Sol La Mariblanca column dec24

This is a vast square and in the middle there is a nice equestrian statue of king Carlos III  It is a bronze reproduction of Juan Pascual de Mena’s work that is preserved in the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando. The spiral inscription surrounding the pedestal briefly describes the history of the reign of Carlos III. The monument is nine meters high. As a curiosity, it should be noted that an electronic device was installed in it to keep the pigeons from resting on it continually.

Madrid Puerta del Sol statue equestre Carlos III dec24

The Madrid tourist office on the Puerta de Sol : https://www.esmadrid.com/en/tourist-information/puerta-del-sol

There you go folks , another wonderful nostalgic, sentimental trip to my dear Spain, A love affairs with my Madrid, as do not know when we will be back, we sure will have this trip in our hearts forever, Again, hope you enjoy this post on the Puerta del Sol of Madrid ,part V !!! as I

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

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Published by pedmar10

I am a lover of travels to Europe , Americas , Africa and Asia as well ,who like to share my experiences of the last 53 years with the world, visiting so far 81 countries; living in 6, working in 5, and Citizen of 4, speaking fluently 4 languages. I can deal with sports especially football/soccer and love music, arts, wine collector/drinker, and go out to restaurants, and just visit the world. My background comes all the way from Candelaria and Pajara in Tenerife, Spain where my grandparents came from ;not knowing each other then, to Punta Brava, west of Havana, Cuba. There , my parents born in Cuba met and later on I was born there too. 100% guanche (annexed Tenerife to Spain on April 10 ,1496). I left Cuba as many have to Madrid, Spain where I lived for 4 years. Then, move to Perth Amboy ,New Jersey USA (living there 13 yrs) ; where I completed high school, became a US Citizen, learned to drive a car, and learned English. Afterward, went to the university in Florida, ERAU, and upon graduation decided to moved there to Ormond by the Sea, near Daytona Beach, finally moving North Miami, then Hialeah, then another moved to Silver Lakes division in Miramar, Broward county, Florida; in Florida I lived a total of 18 years. Finally , moved to France in 2003 ,Versailles call me for its royalty, and working in Paris was great. It was time to seek frontiers again and moved to Brech near Auray, Morbihan in Brittany , and later move to not too far Pluvigner. Total so far in France has been 20 years, and counting. Moving average a home every 5.5 years hopefully this will be my last. Cheers All rights reserved. No part of this blog may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright holder, me. No part of this work may be modified, without the written permission of the holder, me.No part of this work may be exposed to public view in any form or by any means, without identifying the holder as the author, and with the before mentioned permission.

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