Monument "The Bear and the Strawberry Tree"

Puerta del Sol is the main square of the Spanish capital. It is here that the monument repeats in its content the heraldic symbol of Madrid – a bear, feasting on the fruits of a strawberry tree.

Such an unusual monument was created by sculptor N. Santafe in 1966. Once on this place murmured popular among the citizens of the fountain with a female statue, which was called Mariblanca. Global reconstruction of the square destroyed the fountain, and Mariblanca forced to change residence. The appearance of a clumsy bear instead of a slender female figure surprised the townspeople, but they quickly got used to it. And soon the figure of the bear began to appear on stickers, postcards, key chains and from a strict heraldic sign turned into a cute reminder of Madrid.

There are different versions as to why a bear and a strawberry tree appeared on the coat of arms of Madrid. Someone, for example, claims that it is a symbol of the division of possessions between the church and secular rulers. So, the church was responsible for the countryside, and the state for the hunting, which caused constant confrontation. And someone is inclined to think that seven stars around the perimeter of the coat of arms is a symbol of the Big Dipper, hence the bear in the coat of arms of the capital. Today, no one can give an exact explanation, and it does not matter. The main thing is that the monument appealed to both residents of the city and its guests, and a photo against its background will definitely appear in your album after visiting Madrid.