Columbus Monuments Pages

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Madrid
Comunidad de Madrid

Plaza de Colon

Monumento a Colón

Columbus Monument

Jeronimo Suñol
1885

Description

The neo-gothic monument made of Novelda stone is composed of two parts: a square base with an octagonal pillar, which is surmounted by the statue of Italian marble. The base is enriched with allegories, detached statues and other details. The four sides of the base show high-reliefs:

(North) The Santa Maria; on the deck of it a hemisphere with the new continent, a band on which is inscribed nuevo mundo, a guirlande above it has the motto: p. castilla y p. leon, and below dió Colon.	(South) Our Lady of the Pillar, with the date of the discovery of America, xij Octubre 1492, at her feet, and the names of the crew on the Pinta, Santa Maria and Niña.
(West) The offer of jewels by Isabella I for the purpose of raising funds for Columbus enterprise. The shields show the names Luis \| de \| Santan \| gel (biogr) and Alonso \| de \| Quintani \| lla (biogr).	(East) Representation of the conference at which Columbus revealed his plans to Father Deza. The shields show the names Fray \| Juan \| Perez (biogr) and Fray \| Antonio \| de \| Marchena (biogr)

Four heralds or kings-at-arms, of life size, and wearing emblazoned dalmaties, stand at the angles of the base, on addorsed pillars, under elegant canopies consisting of small groined vaults, carved in. the form of polygonal capitals, surrounded by festooned, pendant arches, and crowned by pinnacles.

Above this, is a circular arcade, between the columns of which are seen four coats of arms of Spain, supported by the eagle of St. John the Evangelist; above this part, rises a pillar ornamented by beautiful mouldings on which is the figure of Columbus, standing in a stately attitude, holding the standard of Castile in his right hand. The monument is surrounded by an iron railing and stands in the center of a garden.

Inscription(s)

Reinando Alfonso XII
se erigio este Monumento
por initiativa de Titulor del Reino

Detail of the eastern relief.

Annotation

In commemoration of the marriage of King Alphonso XII, the Spanish nobility determined to start a subscription for the purpose of erecting a monument at this Court, to the discoverer of the New World. The monument originally stood on the center of an oval "island" on the Plaza de Colon. It is now replaced to the Jardines del Descubrimiento, the upper column seems to be extended.

GoogleEarth image of the Plaza de Colón. The Columbus monument (A) and the Monumento al Descubrimiento de América (B) are clearly recognizable. The Centro Cultural is subterranean and not visible. It is located at C.