Monument to General Espartero (Madrid) facts for kids
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| Coordinates | 40°25′16″N 3°41′01″W / 40.421127°N 3.683584°W |
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| Location | Calle de Alcalá, Madrid, Spain |
| Designer | Pablo Gibert |
| Material | Bronze, marble |
| Height | 10 m |
| Opening date | 5 August 1886 |
| Dedicated to | Baldomero Espartero |
The Espartero monument, also known as the monument to General Espartero (in Spanish: Monumento al General Espartero), is a famous statue in Madrid, Spain. It was created by the artist Pablo Gibert. This monument honors General Baldomero Espartero, who was known as "the Peacemaker."
Contents
Why was the Espartero Monument Built?
This monument was created during a time in Spain called the Restoration period. Leaders wanted to show that Spain was united. General Baldomero Espartero was a hero who helped bring peace after a period of conflict. He fought against groups called the Carlists. The monument was built to celebrate his role in making Spain peaceful again.
How the Statue Was Designed
In 1884, a competition was held to choose the best design for the monument. Pablo Gibert's idea, called Gloria al Pacificador ("Glory to the Peacemaker"), won. Work on the statue began in 1885.
The main part of the monument is a large bronze statue of Espartero. It shows him riding his horse, entering a city in triumph. He is waving with one hand, holding his bicorne hat.
Details of the Monument
The bronze statue itself is 5 meters (about 16 feet) tall. It sits on top of a 5-meter-tall base. This base is made from beautiful white marble from a place called Novelda. The bronze statue is very heavy, weighing 11.5 tonnes (about 25,000 pounds)!
You can find some writing on the base of the statue. It says "J. Comas y Hermanos. Fundids y Constrs.Barcelona" and "Pablo Gibert. Escultor. Madrid año 1885." This tells us who made the statue and when.
The base also has two carvings, called reliefs, on its sides. These carvings were also made by Gibert.
- One relief shows the Battle of the Bridge of Luchana.
- The other relief shows the Embrace of Vergara. These were important events in Espartero's life.
On the front of the monument, it says: A Espartero el pacificador. 1839. La Nación agradecida. This means "To Espartero the Peacemaker. 1839. The grateful nation."
The monument was officially shown to the public on August 5, 1886.
See also
In Spanish: Estatua de Espartero (Madrid) para niños
