Plaza de Colón, Madrid (show location) Share

Plaza de Colón
The Plaza de Colón or Columbus Square is located in the Alonso Martínez district of Madrid, Spain and is one of the most important plazas of the city. The square and fountain commemorate the explorer Christopher Columbus, whose name in Spanish is Cristóbal Colón. The square was originally called "Plaza de Santiago" (St. James Square) but was later renamed Plaza de Colón in 1893 to honour Christopher Columbus. The square contains a monument which was built in 1885 of Columbus standing on a column and pointing in the direction of the Caribbean. Another massive monument in the Plaza de Colón is Joaquin Vaquero Turcios’ concrete block sculpture. The gardens in the plaza are known as the "Jardines del Descubrimiento" (Gardens of Discovery), where the Royal Mint was located until 1970. The National Library and Archeological Museum are next to the square and also the exclusive Serrano neighbourhood with posh shops is also in this area.