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The Cibeles fountain (better known simply as the people of Madrid’s Cibeles) in the city is Spanish in Madrid , in the plaza of the same name . He settled in 1782 in the Salón del Prado , near the Palacio de Buenavista , facing the fountain of Neptune (now at the center of the Plaza de Canovas del Castillo , in the Paseo del Prado near the Palacio de Villahermosa , current Thyssen Museum -Bornemisza , and the Hotel Palace ). Includes the goddess Cybele , the symbol of the Earth, agriculture and fertility, on a chariot pulled by lions. The current square called Plaza de Madrid at the beginning and in the year 1900 took the name Castelar square. Today is bounded by the great edifices of the Palacio de Buenavista (Army Headquarters), Palacio de Linares (Casa de América), Palacio de Comunicaciones (formerly headquarters of the Post and currently mayor of Madrid ) and Bank of Spain . The funny thing is that each of these monuments belong to a different neighborhood of Madrid.

Those responsible for its implementation were Francisco Gutierrez (figure of the goddess and the car), Robert Michel (lions) and decorating Miguel Ximénez , according to the design of Ventura Rodríguez . The Goddess and the lions were carved in marble purple people of Montesclaros ( Toledo ), and the rest in stone Redueña , a town situated 53 km north of Madrid, near the Sierra de La Cabrera [ citation needed ].

History

This source was recreated by the Spanish architect Ventura Rodríguez who conducted the project between 1777 and 1782 . It appears that this source was initially aimed at the Gardens of La Granja de San Ildefonso in Segovia , but when it began to reshape the wide Paseo del Prado, the source was placed in front of the Palacio de Buenavista, very close to him, the entrance to the Paseo de Recoletos and facing the other great source, that of Neptune . Between her and the palace there were small buildings where it was located Inspection Militia and later the presidency of the Council of Ministers, until in 1780 , burned the whole group. Font installed in 1782 , did not work until the year 1792.

In 1895 the monument was moved to the center of the square, placing the goddess looking at the first section of the street of Alcala. This move raised much excitement and criticisms were reflected in the press of the time which gave full details of the controversy between the City and the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando . Until 1981 there was no restoration.

Description and usefulness of the source

The main figure is the goddess Cybele , the sculptor Francisco Gutiérrez . It is mounted on a trolley placed on a rock that stands in the middle of the pylon. In his hands he carries a scepter and a key and on the pedestal is carved a mask that spit water over the Lions to reach the basin, plus a frog and a snake that is always overlooked. Two lions sculpted by the Frenchman Michel Robert , pulling the cart. The lions represent the mythological characters Hippomenes (or Melaión) and Atalanta , the great hunter of the group of Diana . Hippomenes loved her and got her favors with the help of Aphrodite and the trick of golden apples, but by committing sacrilege lovers when they joined in a temple of Cybele , Zeus was furious and turned them into lions forever condemning them to throw carriage of the Great Goddess.

The fountain was a monument not only artistic but also had a profit from the start for Madrid. He had two pipes that were kept rustic to 1862 . In an official water carriers are restocked used to be Asturian and Galician, and brought water to the houses and other public of Madrid. In the drinking trough horses. The water came from a trip waters, according to tradition, dating from the Middle Ages to the time when Madrid was a Muslim. He was reputed to have good curative properties of any wrongdoing. The pipes were cumbersome and difficult to access and were located in the place where suppliers jump today. Precisely for this reason in the year 1862 , the council decided to replace them with two figures symbolic art and design for the village of largely gushing water: a bear and a tap (mythological animal equivalent of the lizard) also were placed so that will facilitate the reconciliation of the people.

In 1895 was the relocation of the fountain in the center of the square. On the occasion of the relevant works were new renovations. The monument was placed on four steps and is surrounded by a fence to prevent access in this case. The source did not meet its mandate because most of the houses had begun to have water or power, so the addition of tap water and the bear took off, returning to the original project of Ventura Rodríguez . Also added to the rear two cherubs, one (whose author is Miguel Ángel Trilles ) pours water from an amphora, and the other (the author is Antonio Parera) holds a conch. But with this change is not brought water lost trip to meet old and the source as a fountain that was built with pipe in the corner of the square side post office. This fountain was still a symbol for the people of Madrid who came there to fill jars, jugs and bottles, as their ancestors. The fountain gave rise to the music he dedicated a song: “Water from the fountain, the best drink Madrid …”

In the mid- twentieth century water supply became more artistic with the addition of various jets jets and cascades, and adding colorful lighting which delighted the people of Madrid. In the upper pool there are two vertical jets reach 5 m in height, accompanied by a series of jets inclined they send water from the goddess to the outside.

Anecdotes

The tap and the bear

Were added in 1862 to replace the pipes that were uncomfortable, but in 1895 , when the source is moved to the center of the square, these two figures were removed altogether. The bear was already a little recognizable stone so we opted for its destruction, but the tap was in good condition and was stored in the warehouses of the village, along with several other pieces of monuments where it was abandoned and forgotten. When in the late twentieth century was restored house Cisneros , someone remembered the tap of Cybele and was transferred to the garden of the building. For its part, the bear adorned one of the rides Menagerie Retiro. Currently, both the bear and the dragon are part of the collections of the Museum of the Origins of Madrid , in which Renaissance courtyard can be seen, along with Tritons and Nereids auctions of four sources of Paseo del Prado .

The gate

On the same occasion the transfer of the source was added a fence surrounding it entirely. Over the years, a new reworking the gate disappeared without any explanation to give City Council and people forgot about it until recently (late twentieth century ) gave reporters his whereabouts by accident and informed : is at the entrance to the site of the headquarters of the band of bugles and drums of the municipal police, which is located near the French bridge .

Civil War

During the Spanish Civil War , the Republican side, still dominated Madrid, Cibeles fountain covered with a mountain of sandbags to protect against bombs and shooting the enemy camp (which had already caused damage in his right arm, nose and the nose of one of the lions), through which avoided major damage to the monument.

In 1994 and 2002 the statue was mutilated to be so torn on both occasions a hand in one of the original hand appeared occasionally, but not the other, having to be replaced by a new modern origin.

Place of Real Madrid

The area around the Cibeles fountain is traditional meeting place for holding the titles of Real Madrid football club from the late 80 (from the mid-70 had been a venue for casual and spontaneous fans another great team and city rivals Atletico Madrid ). The story of their relationship dates back to June 18, 1986, when former Real Madrid player Emilio Butragueno scored four goals in a game of World Cup 1986 in Mexico between the teams of Spain and Denmark in the knockout round.

This event led to dozens of people concentrated in that source to the cry of Oa, oa, oa, Butragueño the Moncloa (a few days were going to celebrate that year’s general elections ). Since then the Cibeles fountain became the venue of the most important victories and titles of Real Madrid.

At first everyone climbed the fountain in the celebrations, but assuring the conservation of the monument, the Madrid City Council has restricted access only to the players, then going to put a walkway around the fountain to prohibit access also the players. When Real Madrid won the Liga 2002/2003 , no player was able to touch the goddess, which caused the anger of the captains with the mayor .

In celebration of the 30th League (2006/2007) , the master of Madrid ( Raul ) reached the sculpture from a crane and placed a scarf on your computer. For the celebrations of the season 2007/2008 , the City installed a gateway to Raul could access the goddess with less difficulty than the previous year. This happened again on the morning of April 21, 2011, after the Real Madrid became champions of the Copa del Rey the previous day, April 20, 2011, after beating FC Barcelona in the final (played in Mestalla, Valencia) by one goal to nil.

On this occasion, the captain Iker Casillas in the neck was placed a flag of Spain as Real Madrid and a team scarf to finish kissing the goddess.

Being located in a place so central, its busy history, even recent traditions as a place for sports events have helped make it one of the best known symbols of Madrid. In cases where the alarms of the House of Gold Bank of Spain jump for attempted robbery, all rooms of the chamber was flooded with water from La Cibeles, thanks to the channeling of water from source to stay above .