Ribera´s area. Maravillas area. October 2011.

When the first Borbon in Spain, Felipe V, arrived in Madrid, he didn´t like what he saw as he came from France (Versailles) where art showed great splendour. He wanted to introduce the French "taste" in Madrid so local architects became relegated. However, Pedro de Ribera was lucky enough to keep building.

 

  "Fuente de la Fama". Pedro de Ribera.

*Two types of stone: Calcareous stone (white) and granite (grey).

*Alegory of fame: Winged Victory playing a trumpet (symbol of fame).

*Fame is temporary. 

*Fish are dolphins.

*Taxes increased in order to pay the fountain works. Madrid citizens were not very  happy about this and they showed a banner in latin: "God wanted to. The King built it. People paid for it."

 

Facade of Hospicio de San Fernando y el Ave María. Pedro Ribera.

*Two types of material: Stone (grey) more resistant, is located in important places to strengthen some parts of the building: The corners (where wind erosion  is greater), the basement and the windows.

*Scallop trims (Festones): Ornamentation around collums and pillars.

*Estípites: Inverted-pyramid pillars.

*Statue of San Fernando III el Santo. Important person during the Reconquest. He is being given the keys of the city of Sevilla. Some Muslims are defeated at his feet.
*Curtain both sides of the facade. (Like in the theatre).
*Pits and "windows" (óculos) without any use just for decoration.
*Statue of the Virgin (Hospicio de San Fernando y el Ave María).

Ice Factory "La Industrial". 1928.

*Only the facade is kept nowadays. The interior has been adapted and refurbished for neighbours.

*The area was full of industries and factories. Some of the jobs that used to be found here were the "neveros". They were people who made ice from storing snow in deep holes dug out in the ground. These holes were also called "neveros". They would bring the ice from Guadarrama Sierra during the night.They used to provide some other business like fishmongers´, and shops in which ice was used to preserve food.

*There were lots of "neveros" at Glorieta de Bilbao.

*This factory was never used that way and ice was already  produced the industrial way.

Laboratorio de especialidades "Juanse".

*One of the oldest chemists in Madrid.

*Medicine was produced here.

*Publicity was shown on tiles.

*There is a former "egg shop" with similar decoration.

Church of the Maravillas.

*"Maravilla" is a type of flower.

*A small statue of Virgin Mary was said to be found among these flowers that used to be very abundant in this area. 

*It is said that Felipe IV was stabbed and saved his life as a miracle. So he ordered the construction of this church.

"Dos de Mayo" square.

*This is the location where the former Monteleón Artillery Headquarters was. (Only the main gate remains)

*Luis Daoiz was in charge if this Headquarter with few members.

*Murat, sent to Madrid, by Napoleón was supposed to help Spain with his troops in the war against Portugal. So it was arranges that Spanish troops would not ""bother" the French troops settled in Madrid.

*However, the presence of French  troops caused some conflicts and disruptions in the population. After this, Murat made his troops take some important positions such as palaces and headquarters in the city.

*Pedro Velarde went to the  Junta Superior de Armas to ask for weapons and when they refused he tried Daoiz to get them. Some civil people (with Manuela Malasaña, a French baker´s daughter) joined the revolt against the French troops. 

*Daoiz and Velarde statues were made by the  architect Antonio Solá.

Comendadoras Church and Convent.

*The Comendadoras were the female section of the Santiago Order. They were nuns.

Comendadoras Square.

*The current square used to be the nuns´ orchard. The building with the light blue ground floor on the right doesn´t have a main gate as it is at the back of the buiding  This is because the orchard was in this square.

"Nuestra Señora de Montserrat." Madrid.

*After the revolt in Cataluña, Felipe IV built this church to host the Castillian Benedictine monks who had to flee from Cataluña and wanted to settle in Madrid.

*The tower was built by Ribera.

*Because of the economical decline the church wasn´t completely build. There are missing parts such as the dome and a second tower.

*This construction is based on the Gesú church in Rome.

*This building was also turned into a prison for women (Casa Galera).

*In front of the church the very first public fountain was established by the Queen Isabel II (Canal de Isabel II)

Conde Duque Headquarters. Ribera´s gate.

*It was built under Felipe V for his personal guards.