The statue of a bear kissing a strawberry tree is one of the most popular statues where tourists take pictures en masse. It was created in the 20th century, and represents the coat of arms of the city of Madrid, so this statue is often seen on postcards, palaces, buildings and souvenirs. It is located in the city center, on the very busy Puerta del Sol (Gate of the Sun), where everything is teeming with tourists and souvenir sellers. It is a trademark of Madrid.
The wild bear and the strawberry tree first appeared on the coat of arms of Madrid in the 13th century. This coat of arms symbolizes the agreement between the municipality and the priests regarding the control of pastures and trees. The statue has always been found only in this square, although in different locations of the square itself, due to the rearrangement of the square. The bear rests its paws on the tree, and points towards the strawberry fruits with its head. The statue was made by sculptor Antonio Navarro in 1967. It is made of bronze, standing on a granite pedestal. It weighs 22 tons and is 4 meters high.
Author of the text:
Maja Glavaš, Bachelor with Honours in Communicology. Works in Tourism.
Contact: [email protected]; instagram: travel_europe1
photo credit: Alejandro Cartagena
