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The Caja Madrid Obelisk ( es, Obelisco de la Caja, ''Columna de Calatrava'' or ''Obelisco de Calatrava'') is an
To mark the 300th anniversary of its foundation (1702-2002), Caja Madrid commissioned the architect and sculptor Santiago Calatrava to design a monument that would be donated to the Villa de Madrid.
It was conceived as a monument able to describe a helicoidal movement, yet the hefty maintenance costs led to the
obelisk
An obelisk (; from grc, ὀβελίσκος ; diminutive of ''obelos'', " spit, nail, pointed pillar") is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape or pyramidion at the top. Originally constructed by Anc ...
designed by Santiago Calatrava
Santiago Calatrava Valls (born 28 July 1951) is a Spanish architect, structural engineer, sculptor and painter, particularly known for his bridges supported by single leaning pylons, and his railway stations, stadiums, and museums, whose sculpt ...
located in the Plaza de Castilla
The Plaza de Castilla ( en, "Castile Square") is a roundabout in the north of Madrid, Spain.
Location
It is located in the north of the city and is bisected by Paseo de la Castellana, one of the main thoroughfares of the capital, almost at its ...
in Madrid
Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...
, Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
. The monument—intended to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Caja Madrid
Caja Madrid, formally the Caja de Ahorros y Monte de Piedad de Madrid, headquartered in Madrid,Inicio
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— was donated by the saving bank to the city of Madrid.
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History
To mark the 300th anniversary of its foundation (1702-2002), Caja Madrid commissioned the architect and sculptor Santiago Calatrava to design a monument that would be donated to the Villa de Madrid.
It was conceived as a monument able to describe a helicoidal movement, yet the hefty maintenance costs led to the Ayuntamiento de Madrid
The City Council of Madrid ( es, Ayuntamiento de Madrid) is the top-tier administrative and governing body of the Madrid, the capital and biggest city of Spain.
The City Council is composed by three bodies; the Mayor of Madrid, Mayor who leads th ...
's preference for keeping it "static".
According to the initial project, the work would measure 120 meters tall. However, the complex network of tunnels
A tunnel is an underground passageway, dug through surrounding soil, earth or rock, and enclosed except for the entrance and exit, commonly at each end. A Pipeline transport, pipeline is not a tunnel, though some recent tunnels have used ...
that pass underneath the Plaza de Castilla made this original project unworkable, because of its weight. A decision was therefore made to lower the height to 92 metres.
In early October 2007, the Caja contracted construction company Acciona
Acciona, S.A. () is a Spanish multinational conglomerate dedicated to the development and management of infrastructure (construction, water, industrial and services) and renewable energy. The company, via subsidiary Acciona Energy, produces 21 te ...
to carry out the project, and in July of the following year building work began, having dismantled the fountain which existed previously at the selected spot. The obelisk was unveiled on 23 December 2009 by Juan Carlos I
Juan Carlos I (;,
* ca, Joan Carles I,
* gl, Xoán Carlos I, Juan Carlos Alfonso Víctor María de Borbón y Borbón-Dos Sicilias, born 5 January 1938) is a member of the Spanish royal family who reigned as King of Spain from 22 Novem ...
.
Description
Caja Madrid decided to call this monument an obelisk despite it lacking the typical pyramid-like tip. In fact, its design is inspired by theEndless Column
Endless or The Endless may refer to:
Business
* Endless (private equity), a British firm
* Endless.com, an e-commerce website selling shoes and accessories
* Endless Computers, an American operating system company
Film
* ''The Endless'' (film ...
, a work of 29.33 meters in height by Romanian sculptor Constantin Brâncuși
Constantin Brâncuși (; February 19, 1876 – March 16, 1957) was a Romanian Sculpture, sculptor, painter and photographer who made his career in France. Considered one of the most influential sculptors of the 20th-century and a pioneer of ...
, built in 1938 in Târgu Jiu
Târgu Jiu () is the capital of Gorj County in the Oltenia region of Romania. It is situated on the Southern Sub-Carpathians, on the banks of the river Jiu. Eight localities are administered by the city: Bârsești, Drăgoieni, Iezureni, Polat ...
, Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
.
Calatrava described his work as "a mobile obelisk participating in the masculinity of the vertical irectionand the delicacy and femininity of movement."
The inner core of the work, 92 meters high, is a cylindrical metal shaft of equal length and 2 meters in diameter, which rests on three metal legs. These, which weigh 50 tons each, are based in turn on three concrete piles 80 inches in diameter and 26 meters long. Instead of supporting the mast directly above its long axis, it was decided to do it this way to not make extreme demands on pre-existing tunnel at the site.
By fixing shaft through joints, 462 ribs and 462 bronze strips 7.70 meters in length, lining the entire obelisk. These strips have a tilting movement transmitted through the ribs, giving the appearance of an outwardly moving wave of ascension along the spine.
References
{{coord, 40, 27, 57.75, N, 3, 41, 21.63, W, region:ES-M_type:landmark, display=title Santiago Calatrava structures Spanish art Buildings and structures in Madrid Cultural infrastructure completed in 2009 2009 sculptures Outdoor sculptures in Madrid Bronze sculptures in SpainCaja Madrid
Caja Madrid, formally the Caja de Ahorros y Monte de Piedad de Madrid, headquartered in Madrid,Inicio
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Buildings and structures in Tetuán District, Madrid
Monuments and memorials in Madrid
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