Statue of Minerva (Madrid)

Minerva is an imposing bronze statue in Madrid, Spain, installed on the rooftop of the Círculo de Bellas Artes. It is a representation of Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom, arts and strategic warfare.

Minerva
ArtistJuan Luis Vassallo
Completion date24 January 1966
MediumBronze
Dimensions7.50 m (24.6 ft)
Weight3,000 kg
LocationCírculo de Bellas Artes, Madrid, Spain

History and description

In 1964, the project for the statue—intending to fulfill the vision of the original architect Antonio Palacios for the top of the building—was awarded by the Círculo de Bellas Artes to Juan Luis Vassallo.[1]

The sculptural ensemble, representing a standing figure of the goddess, features characteristic attributes associated to Pallas Athena, such as the helmet, shield, spear and owl.[1] Cast in bronze in Arganda del Rey by Eduardo Capa, a disciple of Vassallo,[2] it weighs 3 tonnes.[3]

Following a complicated effort to transport the extremely heavy statue up to the rooftop (involving the installation of a 8-metre high and 1-tonne iron girder in order to secure the structure of the building) codenamed "Operation Minerva", the statue was finally put on its pedestal on 24 January 1966.[4] It stands at about 58 metres above street level,[5] dominating over the intersection between the calle de Alcalá and the Gran Vía.[6]

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References
Citations
  1. Vassallo Magro 2014, p. 174.
  2. Vassallo Magro 2014, p. 175.
  3. Carriazo, Inés; Vasco Campos, Aurora. "Visita a las azoteas de Madrid: cuando los tejados se convierten en las mejores terrazas". El Confidencial.
  4. Vassallo Magro 2014, pp. 175–176.
  5. Sardá, Juan (24 February 2018). "La Diosa Minerva que protege la ciudad desde las alturas". La Vanguardia.
  6. Villalba, Enrique (22 July 2009). "Las 22 'atalayas' del centro de Madrid". Madrid.
Bibliography
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