The Monument to Alfonso XIII is an instance of public art 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. Located in the Ciudad Universitaria, it consists of a

bronze Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids such ...

statue dedicated to Alfonso XIII, signifying the latter's role as promoter behind the erection of the campus in the 1920s.

History and description

The Permanent Committee of the Junta of Ciudad Universitaria awarded the design of a statue of Alfonso XIII to

Fructuoso Orduna Fructuoso Orduna y Lafuente (1893–1973) was a Spanish artist. He was born in Roncal, Navarre, on January 23, 1893 and died in Madrid on August 28, 1973. He was renowned as a sculptor of "urban sculpture" and won several awards for his outstanding ...

in March 1941. The statue is the casting of one of the two plaster models of the former monarch that Orduna completed back by 1946. The other one was about 5 metre high. The plaster sculpture languished for decades stored in

Arganda del Rey Arganda del Rey () is a municipality and city of Spain located in the Community of Madrid. Geography Located in the central part of the Iberian Peninsula, the city lies at roughly 613 metres above sea level, not far from the junction of the J ...

until it was cast in bronze.

Gustavo Villapalos Gustavo Villapalos Salas (15 October 1949 – 15 June 2021) was a Spanish academic and politician. He was rector of Complutense University of Madrid The Complutense University of Madrid ( es, Universidad Complutense de Madrid; UCM, links=no, ...

, the rector of the

Complutense University of Madrid The Complutense University of Madrid ( es, Universidad Complutense de Madrid; UCM, links=no, ''Universidad de Madrid'', ''Universidad Central de Madrid''; la, Universitas Complutensis Matritensis, links=no) is a public research university loca ...

, decided to place the statue in the Ciudad Universitaria, and it was thus unveiled on 28 September 1988 during a ceremony attended by the

Count of Barcelona The Count of Barcelona ( ca, Comte de Barcelona, es, Conde de Barcelona, french: Comte de Barcelone, ) was the ruler of the County of Barcelona and also, by extension and according with the Usages of Barcelona, usages and Catalan constitutions, of ...

(son of Alfonso XIII) and María de las Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies as well as their daughters Pilar and

Margarita A margarita is a cocktail consisting of Tequila, triple sec, and lime juice often served with salt on the rim of the glass. The drink is served shaken with ice (on the rocks), blended with ice (frozen margarita), or without ice (straight up). T ...

. The bronze figure, about 2.5 metre high, consists of a standing full-body depiction of Alfonso XIII wearing the clothes of Grand Maester of the Order of Charles III and the collar of the

Order of the Golden Fleece The Distinguished Order of the Golden Fleece ( es, Insigne Orden del Toisón de Oro, german: Orden vom Goldenen Vlies) is a Catholic order of chivalry founded in Bruges by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, in 1430, to celebrate his marriage ...

while holding a scepter with his left hand. The discreet pasture chosen as location for the monument makes it easy for the latter to become a target for vandal attacks.

Bibliography

;Citations ;Bibliography * * * {{authority control Monuments and memorials in Madrid Buildings and structures in Ciudad Universitaria neighborhood, Madrid Bronze sculptures in Spain Outdoor sculptures in Madrid Statues of monarchs Sculptures of men in Spain