Plaza de Oriente

You are in the Plaza de Oriente, between the Royal Palace and the Teatro Real. It is one of Madrid’s most elegant spaces: gardens, statues of kings and, in the centre, a bronze horse that defies balance.

1A square half a century in the making

The square was born from the demolitions ordered by Joseph Bonaparte between 1809 and 1810 to clear the surroundings of the palace, which earned him the popular nickname ‘Pepe Plazuelas’. The final design, from 1844, is by Narciso Pascual y Colomer.

2Philip IV’s horse

The equestrian statue of Philip IV was made by Pietro Tacca between 1634 and 1640, using portraits by Velázquez as a model. The horse rests only on its hind legs, and to achieve this Galileo Galilei was consulted: the rear is solid and the front, hollow. It was unveiled in this square in 1843.

It was one of the first large equestrian statues with the horse rearing on two legs.

3Stone kings and a theatre

Around you are twenty statues of former monarchs, carved between 1750 and 1753 to crown the palace cornice, although they were never installed there. Opposite the palace, the Teatro Real opened on 19 November 1850.

4What to look out for

• The hind legs of Philip IV’s horse.
• The statues of kings and their names on the pedestals.
• The Cabo Noval and Lepanto gardens, on either side.