7/2/2014 Plaza de Coln (Madrid) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plaza_de_Col%C3%B3n_(Madrid) 1/2
Plaza de Coln
Monument to Christopher
Columbus
Plaza de Coln (Madrid)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Plaza de Coln (Columbus Square, in English) is located
in the Alonso Martnez district of Madrid, Spain. This plaza
and its fountain commemorate the explorer Christopher
Columbus, whose name in Spanish was Cristbal Coln.
Monuments
The plaza, originally called "Plaza de Santiago" (St. James
Square), was renamed "Plaza de Coln" in 1893 to honour
Christopher Columbus. The square contains two
monuments.
On the Paseo de la Castellana (Promenade of the
Castilian) side there is a monument to Columbus built in
1885. This is a statue of Columbus standing at the pinnacle
of a tall column.
The second monument on the Serrano Street. side consists of concrete macro-
sculptures by Joaqun Vaquero Turcios. The concrete blocks are decorated
with inscriptions by philosophers and indigenous leaders.
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 Coln.
External links
Plaza de Colon - History, Present day and Location (http://www.madrid-guide-spain.com/plaza-de-
colon.html)
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Plaza_de_Coln_(Madrid)&oldid=586166905"
Categories: Plazas in Madrid Madrid geography stubs
Coordinat es: 402530N 34125W
7/2/2014 Plaza de Coln (Madrid) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plaza_de_Col%C3%B3n_(Madrid) 2/2
This page was last modified on 15 December 2013 at 09:43.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply.
By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia is a registered trademark
of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.