The Monument to Calvo Sotelo (
Spanish: ''Monumento a Calvo Sotelo'') is an instance of public art located in
Madrid, Spain. Erected on the south of the
Plaza de Castilla, it is dedicated to
José Calvo Sotelo.
History and description
The monument was an initiative of the "National Junta" for the homage to the Glorious Proto-Martyr of the Crusade Don José Calvo Sotelo", an entity reanimated in 1954 by the
Francoist dictatorship in order to resume earlier
Burgos government's projects dating back to 1938 intending to commemorate the aforementioned politician and delayed by
the then ongoing state of war.
The location of the monument was decided in 1958. Commissioned to (architect) and
Carlos Ferreira de la Torre
Carlos Ferreira de la Torre (1914–1990) was a Spanish sculptor.
Ferreira was born in Madrid and spent his childhood in Tarragona, Madrid, Getafe, Corunna and Toledo, finally settling in Madrid in 1934. He did not complete his studies in fine a ...
(sculptor), the monument fuses the aesthetics of
Italian fascism with the Spanish vanguard of the time.
Made of
reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete (RC), also called reinforced cement concrete (RCC) and ferroconcrete, is a composite material in which concrete's relatively low tensile strength and ductility are compensated for by the inclusion of reinforcement having hig ...
, the single written inscription on the material reads ''España a Calvo Sotelo'' ("Spain to Calvo Sotelo").
It was unveiled on 13 July 1960. It was slightly relocated in 1992 during the works of reform of the Plaza de Castilla and put on a raised platform in the south end of the plaza. Its frontal perspective generates an axis of symmetry with the
Puerta de Europa
The Gate of Europe towers ( es, Puerta de Europa, - Door of Europe-), also known as KIO Towers (''Torres KIO''), are twin office buildings near the Plaza de Castilla in Madrid, Spain. The towers have a height of and have 26 floors. They were co ...
twin towers.
The monument has sparked several controversies, especially regarding the inconvenience for its permanence in the square.
See also
The Assassination of José Calvo Sotelo
''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...
References
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Francoist monuments and memorials in Spain
Monuments and memorials in Madrid
Sculptures of men in Spain
Outdoor sculptures in Madrid
Statues of politicians
Buildings and structures in Chamartín District, Madrid