An iconic plaza with its wonderful fountain dedicated to the Roman goddess of love, and its magnificent palaces – and where madrileños come to celebrate.
The Plaza de Cibeles is one of those circular 'squares' that Madrid does so well. It is ringed by some beautiful buildings, has a sparkling fountain, and is sited right next to the heart of town. It is also close to the old Royal Palace, the elegant Retiro Park and is at the very apex of Madrid's 'Golden Triangle of Art'. Enough reasons for it to have become one of the true icons of Madrid. But those other 'royal' madrileños – the fans of top-rated soccer team Real Madrid ('real' actually means royal) – have also done their bit to raise its status. Whenever their team tops out the league, or wins a big match, the 'madridistas' head here to drape the team flag over the fountain-statue of Cibeles.That's a pretty high compliment for a city full of plazas and fountains. Built in the late 18th century, according to a design by architect Ventura Rodríguez, it seems that the beauty of its sculpture – the Roman goddess Cybele reclining in a chariot, pulled by a pair of lions – acted as an inspiration for the architects that followed.The first grand residence after the fountain was built here by the Duchess of Alba, in 1777. It is renowned for its splendid gardens – with its 1,000 year old Bilbao tree – and its clean red-bricked neoclassical lines. It is now the headquarters of the Spanish Army. Next came the baroque palace of the Palacio de Linares, built in the mid-late 19th century, and which is now a cultural centre for the Americas. The Banco de España is currently housed in the Plaza's next imposing edifice – the Palace of the Duke and Duchess of Bejar, built by them in 1891. Finally, and perhaps most spectacularly, is the high Gothic magnificence of the Cibeles Palace, reclining on the east side. It was actually only built in 1909, and is perhaps the most photogenic of all of the Plaza's palaces. Originally it was the headquarters of Spain's Post Office, and known as the 'Communication Palace' It is now both the mayor's office and the City Hall.
