The Plaza de Cibeles is an attractive square featuring a famous sculpture with fountains that have been adopted as a symbol for the city of Madrid. The fountain of Cibeles is found in the part of Madrid commonly called the Paseo de Recoletos. It depicts the goddess Cibeles (Cybele), the Phrygian goddess of fertility, who is seen sitting on a chariot and being pulled by two lions. On one side of the fountain of Cibeles, the Paseo de Recoletos starts, heading north to join up with the Paseo de la Castellana. On the other side, the Paseo del Prado begins and heads off south, towards the fountain of Neptune, in the Plaza de Canovas del Castillo, and on until Atocha. Up until the 19th century both the fountain of Neptune and Cibeles looked directly at each other, until the city council decided to turn them round to face towards the centre of the city. Great summer tourist destination.
GPS travel coordinates: 40° 25′ 9″ N, 3° 41′ 35″ W
Apr 172008
