Sibelis Square
Plaza de Cibeles, Madrid, Spain
Description:
Located at the intersection of Alcala and Prado Boulevard, Sibelis Square is one of the most beautiful squares in Madrid.
The oldest building in Sibelis Square is Buenavista Palace, which was built in 1769 as the family residence of the Dukes of Alba. Today, the Spanish Ministry of Defense is located in this building.
In 1884, on the opposite side of the square grew another architectural masterpiece - the palace, built for the Marquis de Linares by architect Carlos Coluby. Around this palace hovers a huge number of secrets and rumors. And this aura of mystery is connected with the fact that at the beginning of the XIX century there was a prison in this place and executions of prisoners took place. Gradually, rumors spread among the people that the ghosts of the dead lived in the palace. All these rumors have repeatedly caused special research.
In 1777, during the reign of Charles III, another monumental structure appeared on the square - the Sibelis Fountain, designed by architect Ventura Rodriguez and depicting the goddess of fertility - Cybele (Spanish for Cibeles). An ensemble of magnificent buildings together with a magnificent fountain turned Sibelis Square into one of the most beautiful squares in the world.