Monument to Columbus (Madrid)

The Monument to Columbus (Spanish: Monumento a Colón) is a monument in Madrid, Spain. It lies on the namesake square, the Plaza de Colón. The basement of the monument is a Gothic revival work by Arturo Mélida while the topping statue is a work by Jerónimo Suñol.

Monument to Columbus

Monumento a Colón
Coordinates	40.425207°N 3.690465°W
Location	Plaza de Colón, Madrid, Spain
Designer	Basement: Arturo Mélida Statue: Jerónimo Suñol
Height	Basement: 17 m Statue: 3.30 m
Dedicated to	Christopher Columbus

History and description

The original idea to create a national monument to commemorate Christopher Columbus was promoted by Isabella II in 1864, yet the 1868 Glorious Revolution aborted the project.[1] Later in time, the idea was resumed as the project could serve as commemoration of the upcoming marriage between Alfonso XII and María de las Mercedes.[2] A public contest for the project took place in 1877, and the winner was Arturo Mélida.[3] Following the scrapping of an earlier draft,[3] the 17-metre high basement was built from 1881 to 1885.[4] It was intended to be inaugurated on 4 January 1886, yet the death of the monarch aborted the event.[4]

The 3.30 m high statue, a work in Carrara marble by Jerónimo Suñol featuring Columbus holding a flag of Castile, was delivered to the Ayuntamiento de Madrid in 1892.[5]

The monument was dismantled in 1976 and moved a year later to a nearby location in the Jardines del Descubrimiento.[6] It returned to its original location in 2009, in the context of the renovation of the Prado–Recoletos axis.[7]

References

Citations

1. Gálvez Martín 2015, p. 10.
2. Reyero 2003, p. 58.
3. Navascués Palacio 1972, p. 235.
4. "1892: inauguración del monumento homenaje a Colón". ABC. 12 October 2009.
5. Montoliú 2002, p. 48.
6. Montoliú 2002, p. 49.
7. "Colón regresa a su emplazamiento original y la plaza vuelve a ser glorieta". El Mundo. 21 December 2009.

Bibliography

• Gálvez Martín, Rubén (2015). "Historia de una ruta desconocida a través de los Jardines del Descubrimiento de Madrid" (PDF). Ab Initio (Ext. 3): 7–71. ISSN 2172-671X.
• Montoliú, Pedro (2002). Madrid, villa y corte: calles y plazas. Madrid: Sílex. ISBN 84-7737-112-1.
• Navascués Palacio, Pedro (1972). "Arturo Mélida y Alinari (1849-1902)" (PDF). Goya: Revista de Arte. Madrid: Fundación Lázaro Galdiano (106): 234–241. ISSN 0017-2715 – via Universidad Politécnica de Madrid.
• Reyero, Carlos (2003). "Monumentalizar la capital. La escultura conmemorativa en Madrid durante el siglo XIX". In Lacarra Ducay, María del Carmen; Giménez Navarro, Cristina (eds.). Historia y política a través de la escultura pública 1820-1920 (PDF). Zaragoza: Institución Fernando el Católico. pp. 41–62. ISBN 84-7820-686-8.