Welcome to Madrid

Originally located in the Plaza de la Provincia in 1629, the Orpheus fountain was dismantled in 1865 and the effigy of Orpheus was moved to the National Archaeological Museum, where it still stands today. In 1998, when the square was remodelled, a replica of the fountain was installed, crowned by a copy of the original Orpheus.

The fountain you can see there today comprises an octagonal base out of which a large pillar rises, adorned with adjoined pilasters, semi-circular niches and, midway up, garlands and four spouts pouring into the main basin. Standing aloft the pillar is the statue of Orpheus, holding a violin. In the lower part of the pillar there are four coats of arms of Madrid each with a date inscribed: the date of this current fountain, 1998; two others depicting Madrid’s bear and strawberry tree emblem, dated 1617 and 1544, respectively; and lastly, a bear standing on all four legs, dated 1212.