Monument to Miguel de Cervantes facts for kids
| Monumento a Miguel de Cervantes | |
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| Coordinates | 40°25′24″N 3°42′45″W / 40.423201°N 3.712583°W |
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| Location | Plaza de España, Madrid, Spain |
| Designer | Architectural elements: Rafael Martínez Zapatero and Pedro Muguruza Statues: Lorenzo Coullaut Valera and Federico Coullaut-Valera Mendigutia |
| Height | 34 m |
| Opening date | 13 October 1929 |
| Dedicated to | Miguel de Cervantes |
The Monument to Miguel de Cervantes is a famous statue in Madrid, Spain. It stands in the middle of Plaza de España. This monument honors Miguel de Cervantes, who is known as one of the greatest writers in the Spanish language. The monument has a tall stone pillar with many statues. It also features separate bronze statues of his most famous characters: Don Quixote and Sancho Panza.
Contents
Building the Monument
In 1915, Spain decided to build a monument to Cervantes. This was a year before the 300th anniversary of his death. A public competition was held to choose the best design.
The winning design was created by Rafael Martínez Zapatero and Lorenzo Coullaut Valera. Some people thought their design had too many small details. Many public figures, including famous writers, disagreed with the jury's choice.
Funding the Project
People from all over the world where Spanish is spoken helped pay for the monument. They did this through a special collection of money.
The building of the monument faced some delays. The original plans also changed quite a bit. Pedro Muguruza joined the team as an assistant architect.
What the Monument Looks Like
The main part of the monument is a tall stone pillar, which is 34 meters (about 111 feet) high. This part was finished in 1929.
When it was first opened on October 13, 1929, it was not fully complete. It had sculptures of Cervantes himself. It also featured statues that represented Literature, Military Value, and Mysticism. At the very top, there was a Earth Globe surrounded by five women. These women stood for the five continents.
The famous bronze statues of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza were also part of the monument from the start. They are placed in front of the main pillar.
Later Additions
Over time, more statues were added to the monument. Lorenzo Coullaut's son, Federico Coullaut-Valera Mendigutia, sculpted these new figures.
In 1957, statues of Dulcinea del Toboso and Aldonza Lorenzo were added. These are characters from Cervantes' famous novel, Don Quixote.
Later, in 1960, statues of characters from other Cervantes' works were included. These were Rinconete y Cortadillo and La gitanilla.
In 2018, the Community of Madrid declared the monument a "Good of Patrimonial Interest." This means it is an important historical and cultural site.
See also
In Spanish: Monumento a Miguel de Cervantes para niños
