Monument to Álvaro de Bazán (Madrid) facts for kids
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| Coordinates | 40°24′54″N 3°42′37″W / 40.41512°N 3.710399°W |
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| Location | Plaza de la Villa, Madrid, Spain |
| Designer | Mariano Benlliure (sculptor) Miguel Aguado (architect) |
| Material | Bronze, stone |
| Opening date | 19 December 1891 |
| Dedicated to | Álvaro de Bazán |
The Monument to Álvaro de Bazán is a famous statue in Madrid, Spain. You can find it in the Plaza de la Villa. This monument features a bronze sculpture of Álvaro de Bazán. He was a very important Admiral in the Spanish Navy during the 1500s. A famous writer, Cervantes, even called him "father of soldiers" and a "never defeated captain"! The statue stands proudly on a stone base.
Contents
History of the Monument
How the Statue Was Made
People really wanted a monument to honor Álvaro de Bazán. A person named Luis Vidart helped gather support for it. Money for the project came from many people who donated. The job of creating the statue was given to Mariano Benlliure, a talented sculptor.
The statue itself was made from bronze. It was cast in Rome, Italy, at a place called Crescenzi's foundry. The large stone base, or pedestal, was made from grey marble. This marble came from a place called Sierra Elvira in Spain. An architect named Miguel Aguado also helped design the monument.
What the Statue Looks Like
The main part of the monument is the full-body statue of Álvaro de Bazán. He stands tall on top of the stone base. He is shown wearing armor, like a knight. In his left hand, he holds the handle of his sword. In his right hand, he holds a staff, which is a symbol of his command.
Below the Admiral's feet, there are more bronze details. You can see a helmet with a wreath, which means victory. There is also a broken banner from the Turkish army. This shows that the Marquis of Santa Cruz (Álvaro de Bazán's title) was victorious over them.
Details of the Pedestal
When the monument was first built, the stone base had more decorations. There were four bronze dolphins at the bottom corners. On the front, there was a bronze inscription that read: "don álvaro de bazán". Over time, these smaller bronze pieces were lost from the pedestal.
On the back of the pedestal, there is a special inscription. It's a quote from a poem written by Lope de Vega about Álvaro de Bazán:
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el fiero turco en lepanto, |
The fierce Turk in Lepanto, |
| —Lope de Vega |
Opening Ceremony
The monument was officially revealed on December 19, 1891. This special event took place in the Plaza de la Villa. Queen regent Maria Christina led the ceremony. Many important people also attended. These included the Infanta Isabella, Prime Minister Antonio Cánovas del Castillo, and other government officials. Generals and members of the city council were also there to celebrate.
See also
In Spanish: Monumento a Álvaro de Bazán (Madrid) para niños
