El Orso y El Madroño (The Bear and the Strawberry Tree). This is not only a famous statue on Puerta del Sol, it is also, the symbol of Madrid. It is visible on everything from tee shirts to drains. It weighs 20 ton. The female bear symbolizes "the fertile soil of Madrid" and the tree "the aristocracy".
Over the years, the square has had many different names. Located at the confluence of the paths towards Toledo and Atocha, it was originally the site of the "Plaza del Arrabal" market and thus took this name before later becoming the Plaza Mayor.
Since then it has also been called the Plaza de la Constitución, Plaza Real and Plaza de la República before returning to the now famous Plaza Mayor name at the end of the Spanish Civil War. Public executions, crowning ceremonies, bullfights, Inquisition trials and diverse fiestas have all taken place right here in the square.
The square is mostly surrounded by three-storey houses with balconies looking out onto the square and still lived in by the fortunate few."
Located at the north end of the square resides the four-storey Casa de la Panadería building, supposedly named after the bakery it replaced.
The construction of this building and its colourful façade of frescos was initiated in 1590 and it has been renovated several times over the years, most recently when the frescos were repainted with designs by Carlos Franco, in 1992.
History of Almudena Cathedral
The site on which Almudena Cathedral now stands was originally occupied by Madrid's first mosque, then by a church dedicated to one of Madrid's patron saints, Santa María de la Almudena.
Plans for a grand new church began in the 16th century after King Philip II made Madrid the capital of Spain. But construction was constantly postponed due to various political issues and opposition from the powerful archdiocese of Toledo.
Finally, in 1868, Madrid received permission from Toledo to construct a new church dedicated to the Virgin of Almudena. Construction began in 1883 based on a Neo-Gothic design. The first part to be completed was the crypt, which contains a 16th-century image of Madrid's patroness the Virgen de la Almudena.
A year later, in 1884, Pope Leo XIII created the Diocese of Madrid, giving Madrid a bishop and raising the status of the new Almudena church to a cathedral. The building plans were updated to reflect the elevated status of the building.
Construction on the cathedral progressed slowly and came to a complete halt during the civil war of the 1930s. The process began again in 1944, when the new architect introduced a Neoclassical style that would match the Royal Palace next door.
Almudena Cathedral was completed in 1993 and consecrated in person by Pope John Paul II that same year. A statue of the pope in front of the cathedral commemorates the momentous occasion. The cathedral was given another publicity boost with the sumptuous wedding of Prince Felipe and Doña Letizia in May 2004, the first such royal event in nearly a century.
The building is a mixture of styles with a neoclassical exterior, a gothic revival interior, and a neo-romanesque crypt. It is constructed of granite and marble, with a large neoclassical cupola and two towers at the main entrance. The Catedral de Santa María la Real de la Almudena sits next to the Palacio Real, separated from it by a spacious square, the Plaza de la Armería. You will see this when we visit the palace on another day.
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