Plaza de Colón (''Columbus Square'', in

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

) is located in the encounter of

Chamberí Chamberí is a district of Madrid, Spain. It is further subdivided into six neighborhoods ( Gaztambide, Arapiles, Trafalgar, Almagro, Ríos Rosas and Vallehermoso). The district junta is headquartered at the . The current urban outline was born ...

, Centro and Salamanca districts of

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 ...

. This plaza and its fountain commemorate the explorer

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus * lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo * es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón * pt, Cristóvão Colombo * ca, Cristòfor (or ) * la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...

, whose name in

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...

was Cristóbal Colón.

Monuments

The plaza, originally called Plaza de Santiago (''St. James Square''), was renamed Plaza de Colón in 1893 to honor Christopher Columbus. The square contains two monuments. On the

Paseo de la Castellana Paseo de la Castellana, commonly known as La Castellana, is a major thoroughfare in Madrid, Spain. Cutting across the city from South to North, it has been described as the "true structuring axis" of the city. History and description The street ...

side there is a monument to Columbus whose base was finished in 1885. It is topped by a statue of Columbus. The second monument near the

Calle de Serrano The calle de Serrano, or simply Serrano, is a street in Madrid, Spain. It is noted as location for luxury flagship stores. The urbanisation took off in 1863, with the construction of the first housing in the street. Initially known as Bulevar Nar ...

consists of a group of concrete macro-sculptures by

Joaquín Vaquero Turcios Joaquín or Joaquin is a male given name, the Spanish version of Joachim. Given name * Joaquín (footballer, born 1956), Spanish football midfielder * Joaquín (footballer, born 1981), Spanish football winger * Joaquín (footballer, born 19 ...

. The concrete blocks are decorated with inscriptions by philosophers and indigenous leaders.

Flag

Since Spain's National Day in 2001, the world's largest Spanish flag—14m x 21m (46 x 69 ft)—294 square meters (3164 square feet)—has flown from a flagpole in Plaza de Colón that is 50 m (164 ft) high. The flag originally cost €378,000. It was replaced in January, 2016 at a cost of €400,000.

Other features

The

garden A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the cultivation, display, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The single feature identifying even the wildest wild garden is ''control''. The garden can incorporate both ...

s in the plaza are known as the Jardines del Descubrimiento (''Gardens of Discovery''), where the

Royal Mint The Royal Mint is the United Kingdom's oldest company and the official maker of British coins. Operating under the legal name The Royal Mint Limited, it is a limited company that is wholly owned by His Majesty's Treasury and is under an exclus ...

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 ''

Teatro Fernán Gómez The Teatro Fernán Gómez (previously Centro Cultural de la Villa de Madrid) is a theatre and cultural centre in Madrid, Spain. History Located near the Plaza de Colón in the , the theatre was inaugurated on 15 May 1977. Since its early days, i ...

'' lies a stop for a special shuttle that takes passengers to

Barajas Airport Barajas may refer to: *Barajas (Madrid), the district of Madrid in which the airport lies **Barajas (Madrid Metro), station along Line 8 of the Madrid Metro **Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport, principal airport of Madrid, Spain *Barajas (ar ...

. At the other side of the Plaza are the twin

Torres de Colón Columbus Towers or Torres de Colón is a highrise office building composed of twin towers located at the Plaza de Colón in Madrid, Spain. The building constructed in 1976 was designed by the architect Antonio Lamela. The building with its 116- ...

. The

Platea Madrid Platea Madrid is a gourmet food hall on the Plaza de Colón in Madrid. It is located in a former cinema and employs ca. 380 people. Mexican, Peruvian, Italian, and various Asian cuisines are offered as well as Michelin star restaurateurs Paco Ro ...

gourmet food hall is located on the square at Calle de Goya 5–7.

References

External links

Plaza de Colon - History, Present day and Location
Colon {{Madrid-geo-stub